Dedication of New Softball Fields

  GRAHAMSVILLE-- The grand opening ceremony for the new Tri-Valley Central School varsity softball field complex will be held at 3:15 p.m. this afternoon (May 2).
  The ceremony will include ribbon cutting and a first pitch ceremony.
  The varsity softball field and complex which also includes a second softball field was  designed by Tri-Valley's Agriculture Education teacher Robert Hayes who also performs the maintenance and upkeep of the outdoor athletic facilities at Tri-Valley.
  The project was started in the summer of 2011 with assessment of the site and space, fill was added, a rough grade was performed and a site plan was completed.
  In the fall of 2011 work included graded sub-grade and the perimeter grade and field footprint was completed.
  During the summer of 2012 they added drainage for sub soil plus grading then installation of drainage for the infields was done along with completing construction for the backstop.
  During the fall months of 2012 construction included adding top soil and rough grade for finished elevation.
  The spring and summer months of 2013 saw completion of infield areas and drainage, ball field mix was added, dug out construction began, added top soil and compost for the final grade and field was fertilized, seeded, mulch added and the bleacher pads were added.
  This spring saw the finished touches and official completion of the project except for outfield fences which will be constructed in the near future.
  The new softball complex is located in back of the football gridiron and track facilities.
   In charge of this project were Hayes, TVCS Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Jesse Bell and School Superintendent Tom Palmer.
   People who either helped, assisted or volunteered included Hayes, Bell, the school buildings and grounds department,  Hayes Sports Field Management class, his Conservation Class, his After School Program members, Tri-Valley students Andrew Exner, Kyle Henderson and Jared Ratner, Preston Kelly and the Town of Neversink volunteer workers, Mr. Pompeii and Mr. Huebsche's construction classes, Howard Osterhout, Pete Furman, Mike DeLorenzo and Jim Sheeley.
  The second field once completed will be the for the JV program and the Elementary Field will be for Modified softball giving each team their own field.
  Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics Derek Adams pointed out that the cost of the project included approximately $95,000 in materials over the two plus year period and that a field like this would normally cost $500,000 a piece to construct through a contractor.
  "We essentially had $1,000,000 in fields constructed for 1/10th the cost and we will also save increasing amounts of money on transportation costs to the fairgrounds plus the cost of field preparation," Adams said.
  A non-league game will be played at 4:30 against Chapel Field.
  Rain date for this event has been set for Friday, May 16.
  The first game played on this field was this past Monday with S. S. Seward defeating the Lady Bears 20-1.
  Bri TerBush went 2 for 2 for Ti-Valley and Kacie Allison had the only RBI.
  The loss gives the Lady Bears a 5-4 record, 1-2 in OCIAA league Division V play.