Case High School in Racine looking to raise money for new baseball field

NOW: Case High School in Racine looking to raise money for new baseball field
NEXT:

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) – A high school baseball team in Racine is working with the school district to get their own field of dreams.

They say the one they have right now is a nightmare.

Groundskeepers cut the grass at Case High School’s baseball field, even though no one plays on it.

“We hate it,” says Coach James Ricchio, “the field conditions aren’t playable, they’re not safe for kids to play on.”

Not one home game was played during the 2017 season. Instead, the team travels for every match up.

“I watched six seniors graduate that played two home games in their career here,” says

The problem is there’s no drainage on the field. So any rain causes big puddles. The fencing is outdated so it can’t be repaired and it’s got the holes to prove it. You can barely see the base bags or the pitcher’s mound. Inside the dugouts littered with trash it’s so bad they can’t even practice on the field. Instead, players use a parking lot or tennis courts.

“You can’t get comfortable fielding a ground ball off the concrete but at the end of the day it’s the best we got, we’re gonna use it,” says Coach Ricchio.

The team is working with the school district to try and fix things. The team wants a new field, but there’s not enough money to go around.

The District Director of Buildings and Grounds says “Racine Unified School District has many facility needs that we’re focused on addressing.”

“How do you develop a program or maintain what you have when you’ve got something that’s just deteriorating on top of you and no way to fix it?” asks Coach Ricchio.

On Sunday, August 27, the team is hosting a fundraiser. There will be several ball games including an alumni game and a home run derby to raise money for the new field. The Home Run Rally starts at 1:00 p.m. at Haban Park. 

Share this article: