By Pamela Seal
Diocese of Lake Charles
LAKE CHARLES — A team of Seminarians held on to their championship title for the third year in a row claiming an 11-5 victory over a team of Priests during the 2025 Bishop’s Invitational Wiffle Ball Classic. The annual fundraiser for the Serra Club that supports the Office of Vocations took place on Saturday, August 2, in Our Lady Queen of Heaven Family Life Center gymnasium.
Despite Monsignor Daniel Torres making a grand entrance and presenting the Seminarians with a wrapped gift of Kleenex in anticipation of their defeat, it would be the Team of Priests who needed the tissue when the final bat was swung.
As Monsignor Torres assessed the outcome of the game, he said, "The priests did not want to overwhelm the seminarians so we kept them humble throughout the game, allowing them not to lose hope in the priesthood."
After the Seminarians put five runs on the scoreboard in the first inning, it was the bottom of the third inning before Father Joseph Caraway scored the first run for the Priests, followed by Monsignor Torres making the second run. It looked liked the Priests were starting to tighten up the score 10-5 at the bottom of the sixth inning, but it would not be enough with the Seminarians gaining one more run in the last inning.
Deacon Hunter LaRocca, who played on the Seminarians team, will move to the team of Priests next year since he will be ordained in a few weeks on September 6. LaRocca, who is great at catching fly balls, was responsible for putting a couple of runs on the scoreboard.
When asked what it felt like to help keep the winning streak going for the Seminarians, Deacon LaRocca jokingly remarked, "It always feels good to be a winner, but I know that could all change next year since I will be moving to the Team of Priests."
Cameron Fontenot, team captain for the Seminarians said, "Three is a dynasty," about winning the Wiffle Ball Championship for the third consecutive year. "It was all group effort with the Seminarians all on the same page."
"God gave the Priests every possible way to win, but our skill is just that good,” quipped Seminarian Logan Guillot.
Cameron praised the Serrans for their part in hosting the friendly competition each year. While the game is played in the spirit of fun, it is all about supporting vocations in the diocese. The Wiffle Ball game helps raise funds for the Priest Retirement Fund, Seminary Burse Fund, and the Serra Club.
Before the game began, Bishop Glen John Provost led everyone in praying the Prayer for Vocations.
As Wiffle Ball Champions, the Team of Seminarians received a $2,000 check for the Seminary Burse Fund, and the Team of Priests received $1,000 for the Priests Retirement Fund.
During the fourth-inning stretch, a live auction of several items brought in $1,525. High bidders were:
• Autographed TEAM PRIESTS T-shirt — $600, Tyler Pedersen, St. Francis de Sale Oratory
• Autographed TEAM SEMINARIANS T-shirt — $400, donated to Kevin and Michelle Fontenot, St. Pius X Parish
• Wiffle Ball DVD — Annette Simmons, $100, Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish
• Autographed Wiffle Ball — Toby Richmond, $225, St. Pius X Parish
• Pope St. John Paul II — Donna Suarez, $200, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
TEAM PRIESTS included:
• Father Michael Caraway (Vocations Director)
• Monsignor Daniel Torres (Pastor, Our Lady Queen of Heaven)
• Father Edward Richard (Pastor, Our Lady of Prompt Succor)
• Father Joseph Caraway (Chancellor)
• Father Jeffrey Starkovich (Pastor, St. Pius X)
• Father D.B. Thompson (Tribunal)
• Father Rojo Koonathan (Pastor, St. John Bosco)
• Father Michael Beverung (Parochial Vicar, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception)
• Father Josh Page (Parochial Vicar, Our Lady Queen of Heaven)
• Father Luis Tigga, HGN (Pastor, Our Lady of LaSalette, DeQuincy)
• Father Andrew DeRouen (Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Prompt Succor)
The seminarians’ team consisted of Deacon Hunter LaRocca, Cameron Fontenot, Philip Seilhan, Liam Leonard, Nicholas Poncho, Justin Fontenot, Logan Guillot, Luka Hagen, Ezekial Richmond, and Owen Bailey.
Calling balls and strikes were referees Conner Lloyd, head baseball coach; and Guy Simmons, assistant baseball coach, both from St. Louis Catholic High School.
For more information on the Office of Vocations, visit www.lcvocations.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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