BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Local first responders will be duking it out on the baseball diamond in an upcoming charity event.

Senator Fred Akshar announced the launch of the first annual Softball 4 Hope charity game taking place at 1 P.M. on Sunday, September 11th at the Binghamton University Baseball Stadium.

Local firefighters from the Binghamton, Endicott, and Johnson City Departments will be facing off against police officers from the New York State Police, Broome County Sheriff’s Office, Binghamton, Endicott, Johnson City, Vestal, and Port Dickinson Police departments.

The game will be held in honor of those who lost their lives in 2001.
Attendance is free to the public, with all donations going to the Softball 4 Hope fund, which aims to alleviate the financial burdens of fighting cancer for local community members and first responders.

Fans can enjoy food, drinks, giveaways, and perhaps even a cameo by a local, former MLB pitcher.

Senator Fred Akshar says, “It’ll be entertaining for the entire community. I think at the root of the game, is the willingness of these two men who are standing behind me and their respective organizations, to do their part to leave this community a little better than they found it.”

The firefighters’ team is called “the bravest,” while the police are going by “the finest.”

Binghamton Fire Chief Al Gardiner will serve as the coach of the firefighters, and Police Chief Joe Zikuski will coach the police team.

Softball 4 Hope is a partnership with the Constance Foundation and Cops 4 a Cause. Akshar says that all of the profits raised through the event will go back into the community.

To donate to either organization visit their websites at https://www.constancefoundation.org/ and https://www.cops4acause.org/.