(Versailles, IN) – South Ripley Community Schools held a dedication ceremony for its upgraded baseball and softball facility Wednesday.
The event was in celebration of improvements to Forest G. Waters Field at St. Elizabeth Ball Park.
The home of the Raiders’ baseball and softball teams underwent renovations and improvements to the facility, including a new synthetic infield, portable mound, adjustable base configurations for baseball and softball, and a portable outfield fence for softball.
Other facility improvements include a brick donor plaza, signage and PA/audio system.
The field project is the result of a partnership between the Cincinnati Reds, the Reds Community Fund, St. Elizabeth Healthcare and South Ripley Schools.
During remarks at the ceremony, Superintendent Rob Moorhead said the project is all about community.
“We wouldn’t be here without you and without your support. Not only with this project, but with our schools, and our students, and our athletes at all times. So thank you so much to each and every person who has had a part in making this dream come true for us here at South Ripley,” Moorhead said. “This is a transformational project that will impact this community far into the future.”
South Ripley High School principal Derik Hutton calls the revamped facility more than a place to play.
“It’s a game changer for our baseball and softball athletes. It’s where extra reps turn into confidence. It’s where practice turns into performance, and where our players can sharpen their skills every single day,” Hutton said.
He added the new field means consistency.
“No more lost practices because of weather. No more uneven surfaces or unsafe conditions,” said Hutton. “Instead, our athletes get more time on the field. More ground balls, more swings, more innings on a surface designed to help them perform at their very best.”
Reds President and CEO Phil Castellini was also one of the featured speakers, and said the team continues to look for more projects like this, but that it’s important they find the right community.
“We’re only a catalyst for this work…a relatively small fraction of what it takes to get an entire project done,” Castellini said.
It’s the fourth field project involving the Reds and St. Elizabeth in the Tri-State and the first in Southeastern Indiana. The others took place in Northern Kentucky.
“Beyond the softball and baseball teams that are going to get to play more games on this with less rainouts, what we’ve learned in towns like Bellvue and Ludlow and Augusta, Kentucky, is you will do so many more things on this field than just play games,” Castellini added. “They become community gathering places, and the impact goes far beyond our game and that’s part of the method to the madness.”
Other featured speakers at the dedication ceremony were St. Elizabeth President and CEO Garren Colvin and Tyson Fund Board President Bob Meyer.
Major sponsors and partners for the South Ripley field project include:
• Premiere Sponsors: Reds Community Fund, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Tyson Fund and South Ripley Community School Corporation.
• Major Sponsors: Ivy Tech Community College and Duke Energy Foundation.
• Foundation Sponsors: Ripley County Community Foundation and Rising Sun Regional Foundation.
Following the ceremony, South Ripley played Rising in a baseball/softball doubleheader.
The Shiners swept the double dip: 6-2 in baseball and 13-0 in six innings in softball.
