From staff reports

Drawing a record crowd of more than 7,700 guests to Lexington’s Whitaker Bank Ballpark Saturday, Asbury University’s Faith and Family night featured professional baseball, music and fireworks.

Asbury has partnered with the Lexington Legends to sponsor Faith and Family Night for almost a decade, and previous chart-topping bands have been featured at the event including The Afters, Royal Tailor and Sanctus Real.

The crowd included 35 church groups who rooted on the Lexington Legends as they defeated the Rome Braves 4-2.

The event also featured a demonstration from the Asbury Equine Program, and Asburians Kayln Moran, Zach Jeffcoat and Ariane Arguisola, who sang the National Athem.

Asburians Nathan Miller, Glen Flanigan and Jeff Barrington pitched in with a brass quartet rendition of “God Bless America,” with a benediction also given by Asbury student Madeline Smart.

Fireworks lit up the stadium prior to the start of a concert given by 7eventh Time Down, a Christian band whose single “God is On the Move” topped charts for five weeks straight.

“This event helps to bond us together with the community and brings everyone together to have fun,” said Joy Vaughn, a professor in Asbury’s Christian studies and philosophy program. “It’s great to go have family time.”

Residents also showed their thanks for Asbury’s leadership in regularly sponsoring Faith and Family Night for local communities.   

“I think it’s really awesome, because you can tell there are so many people here who are only here because of Asbury sponsoring this,” said Neal Settle, a guest from Richmond. “Tonight, I could barely get a parking spot and the stands are completely full. It’s something you can rally around, and have fun being with your neighbors and watch the hometown team play.”