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Parkview baseball to honor fallen soldier

Photo

Army Spc. Benjamin H. Neal

ORFORDVILLE — The Parkview High School baseball team will play a fundraiser game Saturday at Orfordville's June Days in honor of Cpl. Benjamin Neal.

The team decided to play the charity game at 7 p.m. Saturday in Purdy Park against the Whitewater Legion team because Parkview team member Brendan Neal's brother Benjamin was killed in Afghanistan during the season, Coach Troy Aasen said.

The annual June Days is a big event for the community, Aasen said, so it's a good venue to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project in honor of Benjamin.

Donations and proceeds from T-shirt sales and concession stands will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that assists injured service members.

"We thought it would be a good thing to give to in his name, saying he made the ultimate sacrifice," Aasen said.

Cpl. Benjamin Neal, 21, died April 25 from injuries he suffered from an improvised explosive device in the Kandahar region of Afghanistan.

Neal graduated in 2009 from Parkview.

The Parkview team is making its first state tournament appearance at 1 p.m. today against Saint Mary Central in Grand Chute.

The winner of the game will play in the championship game at 1 p.m. Thursday.

June Days usually only has a softball tournament, but Aasen worked with the organizer to include the baseball game.

The festival runs Thursday through Sunday in Purdy Park and includes a carnival, live music, pancake breakfast, truck and tractor pull, chicken barbecue and parade.