Gary SouthShore RailCats Special Father’s Day Brunch on Field

Gary SouthShore RailCats Special Father’s Day Brunch on Field

Families gathered to celebrate their fathers with a fun baseball experience at the Gary SouthShore RailCats Special Father’s Day Brunch on the Field prior to the afternoon game against the St. Paul Saints.

Along with enjoying the breakfast and meeting other families, many of the children and parents played catch on the field and ran the bases.

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“[My favorite part] is playing catch on the field,” said Ricky Lahart, one of the fathers at the event.

“I like watching the game and being with my family,” Evan Lahart, Ricky’s son, said.

Many families enjoyed spending quality time with each other at the stadium before the game started in the afternoon.

“I think it’s a good setup for it. We were going to come to the game anyway, and found out they had this going on too. It’s a good way to all hang out for breakfast,” said Scott Brandt, another attendee.

“It’s a nice, small feel. Everyone is very warm and welcoming. They always do a great show,” said Tiffany Stewart, who was celebrating Father’s Day with her husband Matt and son Wesley.

At the end of the brunch, some of the RailCats baseball players joined the families on the field to meet them.

Curtis Sanders, one of the fathers at the event, said his family enjoys coming to RailCats games every year.

“[I’m] excited about eating, spending time with the family, and seeing a good ballgame,” Sanders said.

After the brunch ended at noon, the RailCats began warming up for their afternoon game against the St. Paul Saints. The RailCats were excited to play on Father’s Day, especially after a victory in the double header last night over the St. Paul Saints.

“I feel great because we won yesterday….We played strong,” said Sandy Lugo, pitcher.

Justin Sinibaldi, pitcher for the RailCats, was looking forward to the family atmosphere of the Father’s Day game.

“[Good hopes] for sure. No doubt about it,” Sinibaldi said.

Before the game began, crowd members were invited to play catch in the outfield, and many fathers spent this time with their children.

David Novak and his daughter Meredith Novak played catch together with Meredith’s grandfather in the outfield before the game started.

Beginning in the first inning, both the RailCats and the Saints kept their defenses strong. Fans cheered when the RailCats had a double play in the third inning and when infielder Tom Walraven hit a homerun in the fifth inning, earning the first point of the game.

Starting in the seventh inning, the Saints began to close the gap and eventually took the lead over the RailCats. The RailCats fought back again in the ninth inning, adding another point. Although the Saints won 4-2, the close game had fans sitting on the edge of their seats the entire afternoon.

To purchase tickets for future RailCats games, listen to games live, and learn more about the team, check out http://www.railcatsbaseball.com.