Every kid who plays little league dreams of playing baseball at a major league stadium.

On April 16, that dream will become a reality for the NIU baseball team when it faces Notre Dame at U.S. Cellular Field.

“It’s pretty sweet. To have the opportunity to do that is pretty amazing,” said NIU senior pitcher Trevor Feeney, who is also a White Sox fan. “Growing up I went to more Sox games than any other pro games. So getting down there on the field is pretty special.”

“It’s a big deal,” NIU senior pitcher Matt Jernstad said. “Not a lot of people get the chance to step out on the field, let alone play.”

The game starts at 7 p.m. Gates and concessions will open at 6 p.m. and parking will be open in lots A, B, and C. Parking for the game is free.

Tickets for the lower reserved seating area will be sold at $10 a piece. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the NIU February 14 Scholarship Fund.

Tickets will be available on Monday, March 24 at 10 a.m. through WhiteSox.com, Ticketmaster, the NIU campus box office and U.S. Cellular Field box office.

NIU received a great deal of help from the White Sox and Notre Dame head Coach Dave Schrage to plan this game. Schrage was the head coach of the NIU baseball team from 2000-2002.

“Dave said it wold be great if we could get together and do a game, so we started talking about it,” NIU head coach Ed Mathey said. “I suggested U.S. Cellular Field because I had been talking to the White Sox.”

However, Mathey stressed the importance of having a big crowd in order to make the game a success.

“If you have 5,000 people it’s going to seem like it’s empty,” Mathey said. “We can tap into the fans of both schools and draw a great crowd. The cause of for this whole situation is a great cause, hopefully we can make something positive of it.”

Brooks Boyer, White Sox chief marketing officer and vice president, also feels that the proximity of the teams to the venue will help the turnout.

“Both schools boast a significant fan base in Chicago that will make for a great night of great baseball while serving a much more important cause,” Boyer said.

In addition to getting the chance to play on a major league field, NIU also gets the opportunity to take on one of the premier college baseball programs in the country in Notre Dame.

“We get to test ourselves in the midwest” NIU senior outfielder Jeff Thomas said.

NIU and Notre Dame last met in 2005, with the Irish defeating the Huskies 10-6.