The Frisco College Baseball Classic begins on Friday with a stellar lineup of teams vying for victory in North Texas.
Local favorite Dallas Baptist University begins the action with a game against Arizona at 2:00 p.m. CST, then will face the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday before wrapping up with a game against Alabama on Sunday.
The Frisco Classic is an annual invitation event that doubles as a fundraising opportunity to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Since 2017, the classic has raised over $250,000 to support the foundation’s mission and has made strides to help educate people about the disease.
“My niece, Avery, who actually just turned 16 about a month ago, has CF. When we started this tournament back in 2017, we knew that we had a really good platform to raise awareness for cystic fibrosis and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation,” Ryan Holloway, co-founder of Peak Events, said to Audacy.
Fans will get a chance to see Grant Jay, an emerging star on the Dallas Baptist Patriots and one of the best all-around players in college ball. Jay was the Conference USA Freshman of the Year last season after batting .319 with 62 RBIs and 17 doubles. He was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year on February 1 by the CUSA.
The team is also getting a solid performance from the CUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Ryan Johnson. Johnson pitched his second game of the season on February 23, working seven innings with 13 strikeouts and just two hits. He is currently at a 3.65 ERA on the young season.
Alabama’s Justin Lebron is another young player who is quickly establishing his prowess. Lebron was named SEC Freshman of the Week in the season’s first week. On opening weekend, he recorded an inside-the-park homerun, three RBIs, and was hit by a pitch. Pitchers are struggling with the young talent, as he was hit three more times in games during opening week, including twice against Valparaiso.
The Frisco Classic is an opportunity to take advantage of the excellent weather that is expected and check out four impressive college teams while aiding a good cause.
