'Bethel Classic' comes to Four Winds Field raising funds for former Bethel player battling cancer

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- It will be more than a game on Tuesday night at Four Winds Field, as the IUSB Titans and the Bethel Pilots square off in the "Bethel Classic."

Bethel has put this game on a few times in recent years as a charitable fundraiser, but this year's cause carries a bit more weight for the Pilot family.

You may remember ABC57 bringing you the story of Andrew Dillon a few months ago.

Dillon underwent extensive treatment for a grade four brain tumor. His cancer has since returned, and on Tuesday night, some of the funds will be going directly to him and his family.

Dillon's college baseball journey was anything but the usual.

After a solid first season in a Pilots uniform, Dillon was gearing up for season number two, before the discovery of a grade four brain tumor sidelined him.

Somehow, he only missed about 20 games and returned to the diamond less than two months after the removal of the tumor.

"I had the ability to coach Andrew while he was here at Bethel, and so I was able to walk alongside him as he experienced this and went through this, and to be able to see his resilience and his ability to show up for his teammates, he never complained at all, and for me, that was such an inspiration as a coach," said Kiel Boynton, Bethel professor and assistant baseball coach.

Tuesday at Four Winds Field, the recent graduate will reunite with his former teammates, as they participate in the Bethel Classic against IUSB.

The goal is to raise as much money as possible to help support Dillon and his family, as his battle continues.

50 percent of ticket sales, and a portion of the food truck profits, will go directly to the Dillons.

"Being able to be at a baseball game and bring Andy back to Bethel at Four Winds, he played in this game last year, and he did really well, so it's just a huge inspiration, I think it'll fire the guys up, something to play for," said Peyton Ring, Bethel centerfielder.

It will be a rare game where securing a victory won't be a top priority.

Boynton was part of the coaching staff when Dillon played for the Pilots and is also the professor for the class that is putting on this fundraising effort.

"When I ask my students each and every year in this class, what is the cause or what is the organization that we want to help raise funds for, it was almost unanimous that they chose to raise these funds for Andrew Dillon and his family to be able to help support them financially," said Boynton.

"I was told that the class that's running it kind of just unanimously decided they wanted to do it for me, thought that was pretty cool to hear that, how they all just thought of me. Just seeing what kind of impact, I left at Bethel, and people remembering how I handled the stuff was pretty cool to me, and that they all still think of me," said Dillon.