Dugout Updates and Tile

The metal roof was on in time for the first home game on April 1st, but the plywood was put up on Saturday, April 6th.  The plan was to put up the steel siding on the same day after the plywood was up but it was too windy.

 

 

Below are shots from putting the steel roof on:

 

 

 

 

Below are pictures from Saturday, April 6th, when the tile was finished being installed for proper drainage and the plywood sides were put up on the dugouts.

 

 

First Home Game

The girls got to play their first game on the new field during the home opener against ROWVA on Monday, April 1st.  They pulled off a 14-10 win to break in the new field!

Check out the new wireless scoreboard at the bottom of the post!

 

Pictures below are courtesy of Dawn Combs - Dawn's Barefoot Photography.

Thank you, Dawn! 

 

 

Almost Game Day!

The girls were able to get out on the field Friday for some quality practice on their new field.  Hopefully this warmer weather trend continues so they can get their first game underway next week.

This is what the dugouts currently look like - roof on, waiting for steel siding.

 Two of the girls digging holes for the bases.  Easier said than done....

New wireless scoreboard is up and running!

Bases are in!!!!

The season is rapidly approaching...

As the softball season rapidly approaches there has been a lot of work done to the field to prepare it.  The girls' first game was supposed to be this past Thursday in Galesburg, but due to recent inclement weather the fields were not ready for anyone to host a game so it was cancelled.  We're gearing up for our first home game on Tuesday, weather pending, and there was a lot of work to be done - and still is!  BIG thank you shout-out to the crew who has been working diligently on good weather days to get this field in top shape for the girls to play on.

As of the end of the Saturday 3/16 work day....

The backstop fencing is complete as well as side fencing.  As of right now there is no outfield fence but plans are in the works for it.

The dugouts are framed and have rock in the bottom - they are awaiting concrete pads to be poured but the rock will work for now!  The tops of the dugouts also have plywood roofs.  When complete, the dugouts will have steel siding and steel roofs.  But at least for now the girls are safe from pop flies towards the dugouts!

The field has been tiled and the drainage system has been started.  The diamond dirt is spread and has been leveled but we're waiting for it to dry out more before deciding the next steps and the weather doesn't look promising for drying anything out soon - more rain and snow in the forecast this week!

If you'd like to see a bigger version of the pictures below, click on a picture and it will enlarge on the screen, allowing you to scroll through large versions of all of the pictures.

 To the left:  rock in the dugout.  To the right:  diamond dirt before leveling.

Updates from Tuesday, September 4

Adding the drainage system.....

Big thanks to Brian Friedrich for bringing his mini excavator and doing the trenching.

That excavator helped a lot!

First Update

Hello and welcome to the update blog for the new Abingdon CUSD 217 softball field.  The field is currently being readied for use this upcoming spring (Spring 2013.)

Prior to work on Saturday, August 25th, the field was infield was dug down to about a 6-inch depth.  The plans are for Diamond Dirt to be placed in the infield on top of a tiled drainage system.

Here's a few pictures of the progress from August 25th:

Thank you SO much to all of the volunteers who made all of the above possible and a big THANK YOU to Webber Rentals out of Galesburg, IL for a great price on the scissor lift - it was a great piece of equipment and we were grateful to have it at such a reasonable price.

Also...thank you to the Abingdon Banty League for donating water, ice, and breakfast for the volunteers!