On Friday, Sept 6, Cabrini students, faculty, alumni, and friends, brought luck to the Phillies as they beat the division leader Atlanta Braves, at the 8th annual Cabrini night at the Phillies.
As you walked through the gates, you received a Cabrini College knit hat and you were greeted by Calvin the Cavalier and the Cabrini cheerleaders. Cabrini spirit was everywhere.
As the pregame ceremonies began, Interim President Deb Takes presented Cabrini’s extraordinary scholarship award recipients, Julia Halberr and Ryan Lennon.
Ryan is president of Students against Injustice and Violence Everywhere at his high school and Julia volunteers as Sarah Smiles and at her local PAL. If these students choose to come to Cabrini College they are offered an annual $2,500 scholarship that is renewable for up to four years. Julia already has two brothers that attend Cabrini, Joe and Mike.
“The two students are our kind of students,” Takes said, “one wants to do marketing and the other is interested in science, Ryan said he can’t wait to visit and see the Idarolla building.”
Ceremonies continued as the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Denny Kuesel, who donated to the Cabrini College scholarship fund at the Annual Cabrini Golf outing last spring, to receive this honor.
Cabrini festivities were put on hold as all of the Miss America contestants were announced on the field, as well as, the reigning Miss America winner, Mallory Hagan.
Cabrini’s chorus was up next to sing the National Anthem on the field, led by Adeline Bethany.
It was another incredible night for baseball with over 37,000 fans at Citizens Bank Park; the Phillies were set to take center stage.
The game began as Cliff Lee shut down the Braves though the first two innings. In the top of the third, shortstop Andrelton Simmonds hit a leadoff home run, giving the Braves a 1-0 lead.
Cabrini’s dance team took the field at the end of the fifth inning, as they performed on the third base side of the field.
“It was an awesome night!” Junior Victoria Sahina said, “This was my third year coming to this, and I noticed there was a lot more freshmen this year, it shows they are more involved and this night really brings out Cabrini spirit!”
Opposing pitcher Mike Minor held the Phils scoreless though six full innings. With two outs in the seventh, first baseman Darin Ruf, hit a single to left field. Third baseman Cody Asche followed that up with a home run giving the Phillies a 2-1 lead and they wouldn’t look back from there. Johnathan Papelbon came in for the bottom of the ninth and secured the win for the Phillies.
Cabrini Night at the Phillies started in 2006 and really took off the following year with the first knit hat give away. In 2008 they started to give students shirts and the Extraordinary Scholarship award started in 2010.
“I’m a huge Phillies fan,” John Keating, class of 82 said, “and this event gets the college’s name out there so people will recognize it. There are a lot of young folks that come to these games and are looking for colleges. I think it’s a great idea!”
“It is very important night for us,” Takes said, “the Philadelphia market is our primary market, and this event really attracts the students we are trying to reach, because most of them are here.”
The night was all about Cabrini, and getting together with family and friends to keep a wonderful tradition going.
“It was by far the best night that I have had so far at Cabrini,” freshmen Sergio Campos said, “I had an awesome time.”
“I got to meet a lot of new people that I didn’t even know went to our school,” freshmen Austin Marshall said, “It was a great way to make new friends.”
