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Ki-Jana Carter, Mike The Mailman Headline Local Celebrity Softball Game

No. 1 overall draft pick Ki-Jana Carter will trade his shoulder pads in for a bat, and Mike the Mailman will have to hope he doesn’t air-mail any throws to first base when they take the diamond next week. The two will play alongside a collection of State College icons in the Celebrity Softball Game at the 2018 New York-Penn League All-Star Game at Medlar Field.

The State College Spikes will host the All-Star Game and two days of festivities, including the Penn State-dominated celebrity softball game on Tuesday, August 14.

The two teams in the softball game will be captained by Carter and Josiah Viera, the Spikes’ honorary bench coach, a dear friend of James Franklin, and the subject of A Short Season. Viera, 14, suffers from a rare, rapid-aging disease known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. In spite of his disease, his positive message and love for sports has made him an inspiration in the local community and on social media, where he has more than 1,000 Twitter followers and regularly finds Franklin in his mentions.

In addition to Carter, the game will include fellow Penn State football veterans Blair Thomas,Wally Richardson, Rogers Alexander, Keith Conlin, Brandon Noble, Joe Rose, Yaacov Yisrael, Paul Cronin, and Brett Brackett. Former Penn State basketball players Brian Allen and Tyler Smith will also make their diamond debuts. Penn State Alumni Association CEO Paul Clifford, Penn State Athletics radio personality Jeff Byers, and other local media members round out the game’s rosters.

Admission to the softball game is included with the purchase of a ticket to the Penn League All-Star Game. Tickets can be purchased online and begin at $10. First pitch for the softball game is at 5 p.m., followed by the actual event at 7:05 p.m.

The All-Star Tailgate Gala will kick off the festivities on Monday, August 13 with a players meet-and-greet, pig roast, and complimentary Coors Light and Fireball samples. Tickets for the Tailgate Gala cost $50 and can also be purchased online.

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About the Author

Anthony Colucci

Anthony Colucci was once Onward State’s managing editor and preferred walk-on honors student who majored in psychology and public relations. Despite being from the make-believe land of Central Jersey, he was never a Rutgers fan. If you ever want to know how good Saquon Barkley's ball security is, ask Anthony what happened when he tried to force a fumble at the Mifflin Streak. If you want to hear the story or are bored and want to share prequel memes, follow @_anthonycolucci on Twitter or email him at [email protected]. All other requests and complaints should be directed to Onward State media contact emeritus Steve Connelly.

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