DAYTON — The Wright State baseball program will hold its 20th annual First Pitch Banquet on Saturday, February 3, at 6 p.m. The event will take place on the main arena floor inside the Nutter Center. 

Registration for the event is now open and tickets can be purchased at this link.

Longtime Major League Baseball coach Rich Donnelly will serve as the keynote speaker at the First Pitch Banquet. The Steubenville, Ohio native spent over 25 years as a coach in the MLB for seven different teams and earned a World Series ring with the Florida Marlins in 1997. Most notably, Donnelly was the right-hand man to Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland, with whom he spent 14 seasons in three different organizations. Before his major league coaching days, Donnelly coached in the minor leagues for the Texas Rangers. He was originally signed by the Minnesota Twins in 1967 as a catcher and played four years in the Twins organization. 

Donnelly will speak about his career as both a player and a coach while also sharing how his faith played a significant role in dealing with multiple life tragedies. His story premiered on SC Feature's "The Chicken Runs at Midnight", narrated by Jim Leyland in 2016. He also released a book in October of 2018.

The First Pitch Banquet will consist of a sit-down dinner, program, silent auction, and a speech from Donnelly. The proceeds from the evening will benefit current and future student-athletes of the Wright State baseball program.