The Becker Bulldog softball team held its annual “strikeout cancer” game last Thursday, with this year’s proceeds going to the family of Patihan “Pie” Xiong, a Becker kindergarten student who is battling T-cell Lymphoma.

The team sold t-shirts and bracelets and also held a 50-50 raffle to raise funds to support the family in paying medical expenses. 

“I want to send a big thank you to everyone that helped support our Strikeout Cancer game,” Baune said.  “While donations totals are still being finalized, we raised over $3,500 to support Pie and her family in their battle with T-cell lymphoma and to top things off, we had a great crowd that got to see our team play one of their best games of the season and knock off 5th-ranked Chisago Lakes (see related story).”

The Becker American Legion Post 193 was on hand at the game to present the colors for the anthem prior to the game and the Bulldogs used the large crowd to make for a memorable evening.

Baune said that the game has become an annual affair and is part of the team’s efforts to promote citizenship, as well as being good softball players.

“This is the 3rd year that we’ve had a strikeout cancer game and the idea started several years ago when a group of players and parents wanted to support a parent in the softball program that was battling breast cancer,” Baune said.  “The following year our captains decided they wanted to make this something that we did again.  After losing our season to Covid last year, our captains came to me at the start of the season and said they wanted to continue the tradition.”

Baune said it was a natural decision to help the Xiong family this year as Pie’s diagnosis was made public.

“When we heard about Pie and her battle with lymphoma, we knew that we would do our best to help her and her family,” Baune said.  

As part of the softball program, Baune says his team studies legendary coach John Wooden and his “pyramid of success”.  One of the blocks on Wooden’s pyramid of success is team spirit which he defines as “a genuine consideration for others.”  

“I feel that our strikeout cancer game is a way that we can show team spirit when it comes to helping our community,” Baune said.  

A GoFundMe page is still active and accepting donations for the family and can be found by searching the site for “Xiong Becker”.