Dec. 7, 2007

PHILADELPHIA - The Temple baseball team delivered over 200 gifts this afternoon to children at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, spreading holiday cheer to those in need. The team also spent over an hour at CHOP playing board games, doing arts and crafts and interacting with children on different floors.

"Anytime our team has an opportunity to be a positive influence in our community, we're going to take advantage of those situations," head coach Rob Valli said. "Just being around the kids, we were able to get as much out of it as they did. I think it was win-win for everyone involved."

"It was definitely an experience I'll never forget," junior 2B Carmen Del Mastro said. "Just being with the kids, it makes you feel good to take some time and give back. The kids just wanted someone to be around them to make them feel better. Its something I'd like to do again."

"Seeing the kids and how happy our gifts made them, it really made me feel good," sophomore 3B Matt Heltz said. "It was a fun experience."

Temple opens its 2008 season on February 22 at Bethune Cookman.