Toyota Field to undergo “magnificent transformation” from baseball to softball and back again
MADISON – The scene will be similar to what the Corps of Engineers would handle in an effort to move a mountain and reshape the immediate landscape. Charlie Weaver, head groundskeeper for the multi-use Toyota Field, is working with a company out of Georgia in transforming the playing field inside Toyota Field from baseball to accommodate softball as the facility will soon play host to the PNC Bank Rocket City Softball Showcase.
The Showcase will host 13 NCAA programs and 12 local high school teams Feb. 19-24.
“Changing for softball is a lot more in-depth and complicated than a change over for football,” said Garrett Fahrmann, executive president and general manager of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, caretakers of the facility. “They’ll move home plate back about 15-feet. That’s the biggest obstacle along with the slope of the current field is for water drainage, so we’ll have to make the area 100-percent level. We have a crew out of Georgia that specializes in this type of work.”
The change will come quickly. Toyota Field will host a three-game college baseball series as Army will tangle with North Alabama Friday-Sunday Feb. 14-16. Immediately following the last out between the Black Knights and Lions, the transformation will begin.
“Charlie has been in talks with the folks doing the work and we had someone come in from the City and mark where the foul poles will be and where home plate will be,” said Fahrmann. “We’ll use our regular dugouts and will bring in a temporary outfield fence from Hoover’s The Met.”
Once the Showcase is complete, the taxing task of returning the playing field back to hosting baseball will get underway, as the next baseball outing will be March 11 as the Auburn Tigers will face the UT-Martin Skyhawks. This will be the fourth consecutive season for Auburn to play in Madison.
“We’ll do laser gradings to make sure the field is level and the slopes are proper. We’ll bring in and lay sod that is thick and wide rolls that will make for the field to be ready,” said Fahrmann.
