Toni Anne Hahn said she doesn’t like attention, but she was happy the fight against Hodgkin lymphoma got some on Friday.
Hahn, a 2016 Nazareth High graduate and former Blue Eagles standout, stayed in the dugout and kept the scorebook while offering some advice and encouragement for her former teammates as they took on Emmaus.
“I’d rather be out there playing,” she said.
Hahn was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma last summer and her battle was the reason why the entire Eastern Pennsylvania Conference made Friday “Play Purple Day” at the suggestion of Nazareth coach Tony Cocca.
Both teams wore special shirts with purple — the color associated Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Awareness — with other fundraising efforts taking place.
Hollywood writers might have had Nazareth rallying to win the game with perhaps Paige Hahn, Toni Anne’s sister and current Blue Eagle player, getting the game-winning hit.
Instead, the visiting Green Hornets authored a 6-3 EPC victory, but it was a rare kind of day when everyone felt like a winner. Unity was definitely in the air.
“I’ve always been apart of the charity work in the community and to see us come together like this is so awesome,” Emmaus third baseman Brooke Iobst said. “It’s more than a game. We’re all fighting for the same things. Together, we’re stronger.”
Many of the girls across the Lehigh Valley have either played with or against Hahn during summer ball, if not during the high school season.
The unity those players have shown has made a difference as she has stayed strong through her fight with the disease.
“I’m doing good,” she said. “I’ve been in remission since November and I’m taking classes at Northampton Community College. I plan on playing summer ball for the PA Threat and I also coach here and coach a 6th and 7th grade [recreation] team in Lower Nazareth. I plan on leaving for the University of Rochester in August.”
Hahn said the fact that everyone came together for the cause and chipped in to help raise money was heartwarming.
“A lot of coaches have done fundraisers and I appreciate everyone’s help,” Hahn said. “As much as I don’t like to get attention, it has really been nice and thoughtful.”
Emmaus improved to 13-2 with give games left in the regular season. The Green Hornets were coming off a doubleheader on Thursday that concluded with a 2-0 loss to Parkland. Both of their losses this season have been to the Trojans.
“It’s been a tough week with four games in three days,” Emmaus coach John Eyer said. “You can see a little fatigue setting in, but they’re young and they’ll persevere. This wasn’t a pretty win, but it’s a win. We left 11 runners on base and we can’t afford that down the road. You’re going to have flat spots in a season, and we may be at that point right now. We have to climb back out of it and start hitting the ball again.”
Nazareth, meanwhile, lost for the sixth time in their last seven games and fell to 8-6 overall, 5-6 EPC . Many of the Blue Eagles’ losses in that stretch have been lopsided, but they can take some positives from the fact that they played Emmaus tough and made a lot of contact against Green Hornets pitcher Hannah Palinkas, who finished with a seven-hitter.
One of those hits was a home run in the sixth inning by Nazareth’s Sky Esterly who also had an RBI double in the third.
Cayley Grabowski had a two-run double, Cassie Burke had a two-run single and Palinkas chipped in an RBI double for Emmaus. The Green Hornets have secured a District 11 berth and, at 9-2, is also closing in on an EPC tourney spot.
AROUND THE AREA
K-KIDS BLANK ZEPHYRS
Taylor Keeney tossed a 4-hitter and Hallie Muffley and Anna Filchner each had two hits and clubbed home runs as Northampton blanked Whitehall 6-0.
SLATERS SURGE PAST TIGERS
Bangor trailed 1-0 after three innings, but rallied for a big 5-1 Colonial League win over Northwestern as Dani Fey and Jackie Hess had two hits and Danielle Gannon tossed a 7-hitter.
SPARTANS ROLL
Southern Lehigh got a 4-hitter from Rachel Bassler and two hits apiece from Chloe McNulty, Sydney Stine and Lia Boyd in a 10-0 win over Palisades. The Spartans are 12-3.
SCHEUREN SHUTOUT
In a game played Thursday, Casey Scheuren tossed a 1-hitter and Central Catholic beat Pottsville Nativity 10-0 to keep alive its District 11 tournament hopes.
