Frontier 
Lake Erie Crushers
ForeFront Field
Avon Police & Fire Department “Battle of the Badges” Charity Softball Game
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Tracy Marek
216-310-4117
Avon Police & Fire Department “Battle of the Badges”
Charity Softball Game to Benefit Prayers From Maria
Avon, OH - September 14, 2026 - On Sunday, September 27th, ForeFront Field will play host to the annual “Battle of the Badges” softball game. Batting practice starts at 11am and the game will begin at 12pm noon.
Each year, the Avon Police Department and Avon Fire Department square off in a friendly rivalry match to see which first responder group will claim slow-pitch softball dominance for the year. This year, the Battle of the Badges game is working in partnership with the Prayers From Maria Foundation, an Avon-based foundation built out of love and compassion for children who suffer or have died from brain tumors. The foundation’s mission is to provide childhood cancer patients with the support they need to fight the terrible disease and spark hope for fellow cancer patients. Tickets to the Battle of the Badges game are $5 general admission seats, and $1 from every ticket purchased will go directly to the Prayers From Maria Foundation.
“Avon Police vs. Avon Fire: One City. One Great Cause. A Year’s Worth of Bragging Rights. They’re used to bringing the heat. We’re used to handling it.” Avon Police Department Chief of Police Daniel N. Fischbach said. “I hope they don’t run the bases as slow as they respond to a call.” said Officer Justin Murray
“It’s always a friendly rivalry with the Avon Police and Fire Departments, but, ultimately, this is for a great cause, and there is no better cause that’s right here in our community than Prayers From Maria. We hope to get a big crowd so we can raise valuable funds for this local foundation.” Lake Erie Crushers and ForeFront Field President Vic Gregovits said.To purchase tickets to the annual Battle of the Badges, visit https://bit.ly/AvonBadges2026.
For information on season ticket memberships visit lecrushers.com or call (440) 934-3636, and be sure to follow our socials @LECrushers on Instagram/Facebook/X.
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About the Lake Erie Crushers
The Lake Erie Crushers are a professional baseball team based in Avon, Ohio, just 18 miles west of Cleveland at ForeFront Field. They compete in the Frontier League, a proud MLB Partner League, and have brought a family-friendly, fan-oriented baseball experience to Northeast Ohio since 2009. As Lorain County’s only professional sports franchise, the Lake Erie Crushers are the largest economic driver in Lorain County, hosting more than 200 events per year that include over 50 baseball games, concerts, charity functions, and other events that bring the community of Avon together. Len Komoroski is the Crushers Chairman and Managing Partner, and the team is led by President Vic Gregovits. Jared Lemieux, a Maine Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, is in his fourth season as field manager.
