Scranton Times Story
 
La Plume, Pa. – Keystone College will play a leading role in the 4^th Annual Bill Howerton Strikeout Cancer Weekend to be held April 9-10 in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  The event, which has raised nearly $20,000 since it began in 2013, will feature numerous high school and collegiate baseball and softball games to be played at local colleges including Keystone along with contests at PNC Field. 
 
Keystone's softball team will host Rosemont College in a Colonial States Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 9 at Edmunds Field in La Plume starting at noon a day before hosting a softball clinic that will help benefit the cause.  The Giants' baseball team will take on Cairn University at PNC Field on Sunday, April 10 in a CSAC contest starting at 1:30 p.m. in Moosic.
 
Keystone will also host five high school baseball and softball games throughout the weekend as part of the event which features 26 high school baseball teams, 12 college baseball teams, 10 high school softball teams and two college softball teams.
 
Admission is free to all of the games, but donations are being accepted and the proceeds from all T-shirt sales and raffles will go directly to the American Cancer Society.  Anyone interested in purchasing T-shirts, which are $10.00, or making a donation, is encouraged to contact Jamie Shevchik, Keystone College's head baseball coach, at jamie.shevchik@keystone.edu or 570-977-2544.  Please make all checks payable to the "Bill Howerton Memorial Fund." 
 
About Bill Howerton
 
Bill Howerton was a well-known and highly regarded member of the local baseball community for more than 30 years before he passed away in August of 2012. Howerton served as head baseball coach at The University of Scranton from 1987 through 2002 and was the go-to guy for sporting goods in the local community while working at Battaglia's Sporting Goods in downtown Scranton. 

A native of Scranton, Howerton led The University of Scranton Royals to a Freedom League title in1997. He also led the program to back-to-back MAC tournament berths in 1990 and 1991. ?"It was an enjoyable experience, one I'll never forget," Howerton told The Scranton Times upon his retirement in 2002. "I had the pleasure of coaching some outstanding players and working with some great people. More importantly, many of my former players have remained lifelong friends, and I'll always cherish that." 

Among his 182 career wins were a then-school record 19 victories in 1990 and winning seasons in 1989 and 1990. He also coached 17 all-conference performers, including Scott Sannito, a two-time first-team selection and one of five players in the program's history to earn Academic All-America honors by the College Sports Information Directors of America. 

Howerton spent a majority of his life around the sport of baseball. A transplanted Californian where his father played for the Oakland Oaks in the Pacific Coast League following a stint with Major League Baseball's New York Giants, Howerton attended Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hills. He was drafted by the Giants and spent a year as a catcher with the team's minor league franchise in Santa Barbara. Prior to his appointment as head coach at The University of Scranton, Howerton managed in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League for 11 seasons, including leading the Scranton Red Soxx to a title in1975. He also coached the softball team at nearby Lackawanna Junior College.

In 2002, Howerton received a merit award upon induction to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. 
 
2016 Bill Howerton Strikeout Cancer Weekend Schedule - April 9-10
 
BASEBALL
 
Saturday, April 9
at PNC Field
Hanover Area vs. Holy Cross, 11:00 a.m.
Scranton Prep vs. Lackawanna Trail, 2:00 p.m.
 
at Keystone College
Tunkhannock vs. West Scranton, 11:00 a.m.
Old Forge vs. Meyers, 1:30 p.m.
Wallenpaupack vs. Crestwood, 4:30 p.m.
 
at Misericordia University
FDU-Florham vs. Misericordia, 12:00 p.m.
 
at Wilkes University
MMI Prep vs. Weatherly, 12:00 p.m.
Allentown Allen vs. Pocono Mountain West, 2:00 p.m.
 
at King's College
Wilkes vs. Kings (DH), 1:00 p.m.
 
at Marywood University
Immaculata vs Marywood (DH), 12:00 p.m.
 
at Lackawanna College
Lackawanna College vs Globe Institute, 1:00 p.m.
 
Sunday, April 10
at PNC Field
University of Scranton vs. U.S. Merchant Marine, 11:00 a.m.
Keystone College vs. Cairn, 1:30 p.m.
 
at Marywood University
North Pocono vs. Pocono Mountain East, 12:00 p.m.
Valley View vs. Mid Valley, 2:00 p.m.
 
at King's College
Abington Heights vs. Lakeland, 12:00 p.m.
 
at Keystone College
Dunmore vs. Western Wayne, 12:00 p.m.
 
at Misericordia University
Riverside vs. Mountain View, 12:00 p.m.
 
Date and site to be determined
Susquehanna vs. Blue Ridge
 
SOFTBALL
 
Saturday, April 9
at Keystone College
Rosemont College vs. Keystone (DH), 12:00 p.m.
Mid Valley vs. Valley View, 5:00 p.m.
 
at St. Anthony's Park in Dunmore
North Pocono vs. Holy Redeemer, 2:00 p.m.
 
at Scranton High School
Dunmore vs. Scranton, TBD
 
Sunday, April 10
Susquehanna vs. Blue Ridge, 2:00 p.m.
Abington Heights vs. Nanticoke, 4:30 p.m.