UHS Baseball Field To Receive New Surface After This Season

A local engineer has completed plans to finally remedy long-standing drainage issues at the Upperman High School Baseball Field.

Baseball Head Coach Wes Shanks said the work will begin next summer after the upcoming baseball season.

“That would be a new top soil layer,” Shanks said. “Bring in some of the non-native soil that would be a better drainage potential. With that, there maybe other things such as irrigation that might be needed.”

Shanks said the field was originally built in a wetland area and swamp mud was used for dirt work. School Board members have said the system cut corners on the original construction. Shanks said with baseball season beginning in March, teams have always struggled to have a firm playing field.

“It’s always had some drainage issues since it was built,” Shanks said. “There are many things that you can try to use to relieve that problem, and nothing has worked on a regular basis.”

Shanks said the project would also shift dimensions to shrink the oversized field. Shanks said the school system aims to put the project out for bid this spring.

“We have 60 foot of foul territory,” Shanks said. “I believe at that same time, we are going to take our infield and the dimensions of that field and move those around, so we have a more high school friendly ball park. It is a little over three acres of field and maintenance area and that becomes a lot.”

Shanks said just below $200,000 has been allocated for the project. Shanks said school officials have been great to work with to make the project possible.