With their field undergoing a revitalization last year, the Owensboro Catholic baseball team wasn’t truly able to claim home game until the final week of the season.
They played 28 regular season games, and all but the final two were played on the opponent’s field. Even all of their district games had to be played away as the Independence Bank Field at Chautauqua Park was being converted.
“Last year was just crazy,” said Aces’ head coach Derek Hibbs after a win Friday night. “We finally got two (home games) there that last week but it really wasn’t in prime condition.”
Now the Aces are feeling right at home, and with the upgrade Independence Bank Field will serve as the site for the All “A” Classic baseball state tournament. They’ll also host the 9th District Tournament after switching hosting rights with Daviess County last season when the field wasn’t quite ready for that much competition.
During the overhaul, new sod was laid for the outfield, and artificial turf replaced the infield. One of the biggest advantages of the new design will be the ability to continue through most inclement weather.
The team has already enjoyed some success, winning two of their three home games to start the season. The Aces will host three more this week before heading down to Florida for a tournament during spring break.
Hibbs said it’s hard to tell if the turf will give the Aces any sort of edge, but being able to actually spend time out there can’t hurt.
“You never can tell if it really creates an advantage or not, especially at this level,” he said. “But it’s just been good for our guys to get more reps.”
There are still a few kinks to work out, such as minor drainage issues and soft sod, but Hibbs is excited to get rolling with a fully functional field to call home again. He’s also glad for the chance to host the All “A” tournament, which is scheduled for April 27-28.
The small-school tournament has previously only been held at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington, the same site as the KHSAA state tournament. Hibbs thinks all the coaches will enjoy the new facility.
“Everything will be in good shape and ready to go,” he said. “It isn’t a professional park like Whitaker, but I think everybody will like it once they get here and start getting acclimated to it.”
