The Mankato Area Jaycees will host a free Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run competition for area youth on Saturday, April 26, at 12 noon.  The event will be held at Jaycee Park, located at Balcerzak and Pohl Road.  Check-in starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 11:50 a.m.

Pitch, Hit & Run is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball.  This grassroots program is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete, free of charge, in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball/softball skills.  “We’re thrilled to offer this event for the second time,” said John Bulcock, Community Development Vice President for the Mankato Area Jaycees and the local event coordinator.  We’ve enjoyed hosting both the Punt, Pass & Kick event in the Fall and this event in the Spring.”

Boys and girls are divided into four age divisions:  7/8, 9/10, 11/12, and 13/14.  They have the chance to advance through four levels of competition including Team Championships at Major League ballparks and the National Finals at the 2014 MLB All-Star Game.

The individual Pitching, Hitting and Running Champions, along with the All-Around Champion in each age and gender group at the Local Competition will be awarded and advance to the Sectional Level of Competition, being held on a date to be determined.

Volunteers may be needed, and those interested may contact John Bulcock, Community Development Vice President for the Mankato Area Jaycees, at jabulcock@gmail.com.

All participants must bring a copy of their birth certificate and must have their parent or guardian fill out a registration/waiver form prior to the start of the competition.  The waiver and registration will be available on site, or it may be done online at http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/kids/mlb_pitch_hit_run.jsp. If registration is done online, participants will need to print and bring a copy of the registration with them. Information about the event, including more accurate and up-to-date weather-related updates may also be found on the Mankato Area Jaycees’ Facebook event page.

Founded in 1933, the Mankato Area Jaycees exists to provide the opportunity for young individuals to develop the leadership skills, social responsibility, entrepreneurship and fellowship necessary to create positive change in their community.