Number of Participants: 24
Hours Donated: 10
Value of Time Served: $2,028
Event Amount Raised: $7,000
Event Type: Children & Youth
Activity: Baseball
School: John Jay High School
Date: May 11, 2025
Location:
John Jay High School
New York 52, Hopewell Junction
NY
About:
Eight-year-old Ellie Ostrander stole the show at the Strike Out Cancer tournament held at Heritage Financial Park on May 10. With a beaming smile, Ellie confidently threw out the ceremonial first pitch, earning the loudest ovation of the day. Diagnosed as a toddler with ganglioneuroblastoma, a rare spinal cancer that once threatened to paralyze her, Ellie’s journey is a powerful testament to hope and resilience.
Her presence perfectly captured the spirit of the event, a collaborative effort between John Jay and Fox Lane baseball programs to raise funds and awareness for cancer-related causes. This year, the proceeds benefited Sparrow’s Nest, a local organization providing meals and support to families of cancer patients. The John Jay baseball booster club presented a generous $7,000 donation raised through sponsorships, raffles, and merchandise sales.
The tournament featured varsity, junior varsity, and freshman teams from both schools, playing on the Hudson Valley Renegades’ ballpark. Players honored loved ones affected by cancer by wearing customized jerseys bearing their names, adding deep personal meaning to the games.
Coach Eric Frink, who started the event in 2019 in memory of a former player lost to leukemia, emphasized how cancer touches everyone’s lives. For many, the tournament is about more than baseball, it’s about community, remembrance, and hope.
