Hi all! My name is Katie Lentz and I'm the new Administrator for the Baseball Assistance Team. Baseball has been a part of my life since the second grade. I learned the game the old-fashioned way, by listening to games on the radio with my father. He and I would ride around in his pick-up truck on our Illinois farm and I'd ask questions like, "What's a double play?" and "Who's playing first base?" By the next season, he was the one asking me questions, and I'd rattle off everything I knew. Little did I know that the game I loved so much would impact my life to an even greater extent.

In August of 2013, I was in a severe car crash caused by a drunk driver. This crash left me with 15 broken bones, internal organ damage, and many lacerations. During my five-week hospital stay, watching baseball every night provided a welcome distraction from the pain and my situation. In addition, MLB and MiLB teams sent me care packages and these greatly improved my morale. Once out of the hospital, I was able to attend several playoff games in my wheelchair and the kindness I received from everyone in the baseball world left a huge impact on me. I returned to Tulane University five months after the crash. There, I decided to pursue a career in sports that would allow me give back to others. After graduating on-time from Tulane, I completed Community Relations internships with the New Orleans Baby Cakes and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm also happy to say I am completely recovered physically and have no lasting complications from the crash. Now, I'm excited to get back into the sport that encouraged me so much. I firmly believe in the mission of B.A.T., and I look forward to creating a lasting impact for members of the Baseball Family in need.