Former OA's Standout Peretti Stars On and Off the Field

Former Oliver Ames standout David Peretti is a standout on and off the field at Union College.

For the week of June 5, Perett, a junior, and Carissa Vazzana, a senior, the organizers of Justin’s Just Out Home Run Derby, were  Kenney Community Center Volunteers of the Week.

The event was a home run derby on the College’s softball field where local news and radio personalities competed against Union students. Proceeds of the competition went towards cancer research at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center on behalf of Justin Lloyd, a member of the baseball team who was diagnosed earlier this year.

“Justin is a phenomenal kid and is probably one of the strongest kids I know so it only seemed right to do an event in his name," said Peretti, the baseball coach and Lloyd's teammate.  "Hopefully, it catches on and becomes an annual event at Union,”

A biology major, Peretti is also a member of "Team Impact," and volunteered by visiting and playing games with children in the Oncology ward. He and the baseball team also organized “lloydstrong,” where they sold bracelets and donated all proceeds to cancer research.

“The baseball team and their efforts selling “lloydstrong” bracelets inspired SAAC to get involved and create the Home Run Derby. Justin has been an inspiration to us all and has reminded us what is important in life,” said Vazzana, president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and captain of the volleyball team.

There was 49 participants in the event at Schenectady, N.Y.

A catcher, Peretti started 39 games, batting .285 with three triples with 25 RBI. He also had six stolen bases and four doubles.

Union went 26-13 on the season, ending the season with a 7-0 loss to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the Liberty League Championship Tournament.