Archdiocese staff, parishioners, clergy and religious gather for night at Slugger Field

Bundled against a brisk March wind, Archdiocese of Louisville parishioners, staff, clergy and religious gathered for the Louisville Bats Home Opener at Slugger Field March 27.

The Archdiocese of Louisville Night at Slugger Field opened with a first pitch thrown by Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, followed by another pitch by University of Louisville Head Football Coach Jeff Brohm, a Trinity High School alumnus.

Father Cole McDowell led the baseball fans in singing the national anthem before the game began. 

“People all over the stadium got excited when the archbishop threw the first pitch and Father Cole started singing. It was a great night,” said Melissa Herberger, who organized the event. Herberger serves as coordinator for annual giving and stewardship for the archdiocese’s Office of Mission Advancement. 

“We had parishioners from all the way in E-town come up for the event, and several asked if we were going to do it again next year,” she said, noting that more than 200 bought tickets for the archdiocese’s reserved sections. “We had seminarians and priests and deacons there. It was a pretty good crowd to represent the archdiocese.” 

The archdiocese also tossed swag to the crowd — can koozies, T-shirts and cups — to commemorate the event.

The Louisville Bats defeated the Omaha Storm Chasers 2-1 on opening night.