The Bakersfield College baseball and softball teams are “being flexible” with regards to the remodeling and construction of the baseball and softball fields, according to BC Athletics Director Jan Stuebbe.
The approximate $1.7 million remodeling of the baseball and softball fields, to be named the Dean and Adah Gay Sports Complex, will not be ready for the opening games of the season due to a 30-day delay, according to BC president Greg Chamberlain.
The opening games of the baseball and softball season, which included plans for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, are scheduled for Jan. 27. Until then, the teams have been practicing as usual but without a fully constructed field.
“Work has started back up,” Stuebbe said.
“There has been a lot of activity this week, and we’re happy about it.”
If the fields are finished, but are still missing bleachers, ten spectators may have to bring lawn chairs to watch the games.
However, if the now 30-day delay is extended, then BC’s baseball and softball teams will have to either play nothing but away games or find a facility that would accommodate them.
“There are a few options that we’ve talked about,” Stuebbe said. “Sam Lynn Ballpark is one of the options.”
The delay could possibly force the BC baseball and softball teams to travel to play all of their games instead of playing at home, which would cost “a tremendous amount of money as well as a real unfair disadvantage to our students,” according to Sandi Taylor, BC assistant athletic director and softball coach.
“Currently, we are doing the best with what we have in our off-season training,” Taylor said.