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BLACKSBURG – For the fourth straight fall, Virginia Tech baseball held its annual "Shave for the Brave" event as more than 60 players, coaches, staff members and friends and family of the Hokies had their heads shaved to bring awareness to childhood cancer.

The event was held in association with the St. Baldrick's Foundation, which supports childhood cancer research, and “46 Mommas Shave for the Brave” organization.

Thanks mostly to funds donated through the Internet – on the team’s official donation page http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/9105/2013 - the program reached their targeted goal of $25,000 and is still counting. The page, as of Sept. 30, showed a sum of $22,503, but does not include almost $3,000 committed to the event through cash donations, checks and company cash-matches.

“Our ‘Shave for the Brave’ event was once again a tremendous success,” head coach Pat Mason said. “The support from Hokieball nation was truly amazing. On behalf of Virginia Tech baseball I would like to thank everyone for their contributions.

“I would also like to recognize our players, managers and staff for their efforts and commitment to the cause, I could not be more proud of what they did for this event.”

The event is held in conjunction with the efforts put forth by Melina Brown, whose son Levi – an adopted member of the Tech baseball team – was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a highly malignant primary brain tumor, when he was four. Now 13, he is cancer free, but everyday 46 mothers in the United States are told their child has cancer, so the fight never ends.

The Hokies started their annual event in 2010 and adding this year’s total, the team has raised more than $65,000 for childhood cancer research.

Click on the right side of the page to see a photo gallery of the event or click here to see video of it. And for those still looking to support the cause, please click on the team’s donation page link above and then sponsor your favorite Hokie.

This was the second event of the 2013-14 academic year for 19 Ways - the baseball team's initiative to find 19 ways to make a difference in the community. For more information on the team’s 19 Ways program, please visit the Facebook page.

For updates on Virginia Tech baseball, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Baseball).