Feb 23, 2023 4 min read

Washington School District has approved building a $1.1 million softball/baseball facility at the green space behind the old East Washington School on East Beau Street.

The district has discussed and debated building its own facilities for softball and baseball for more than four decades, and took action at Tuesday’s school board meeting.

The $1,053,581 project will be completed by Playing Surface Solutions Inc., Meadville.

“The district recognized we need to have our own softball and baseball facility,” said Superintendent George Lammay. “We felt it was time to provide our student-athletes with a top-notch facility. The notion that neither team could not practice on real fields was deeply troubling to me.

“We’re proud of our facilities. We have an excellent facility in Wash High Stadium (football, soccer and track and field), our gymnasium (volleyball, girls’ and boys’ basketball and wrestling) is historic, well-known and beautiful.

“Our business manager Rick Mancini and the school board have been careful and prudent with the spending. It is great to be able to pay for this out of our capital reserve with no burden on the taxpayers. It seems to be the right move at the right time.”

Colt Field in Washington Park served as Washington’s baseball team’s home since 1973, when the baseball program was reinstated after being shut down by the district. Colt Field is maintained by the city of Washington. In recent years, Little Prexies’ home games have been played at Washington Wild Things Park. The district pays a per-game fee with the Independent Frontier League franchise.

The Washington girls’ softball team has played home games in Washington Park.

Conducting practices because of scheduling difficulties at both fields has become a major issue for both programs. Rescheduling games that were postponed is also problematic.

The cost of the facility will be paid through the district’s capital reserve fund. The administration said no money will be borrowed and the project will have zero impact on taxpayers.

The softball/baseball field will feature an Astroturf infield and a portable pitching mound. Also being considered is a 20-foot-high “blue monster” wall in right field for baseball that would make the home run distance about 320 feet from right center to right field.

PNC Park’s right field distance is 320 feet while right field distance in Yankee Stadium is 314 feet.

The district will use an electric fence system to switch from softball to baseball.

Lammay noted that the Wild Things have been gracious and excellent partners over the last few years as hosts to Washington baseball. He added that it is his hope the team could continue to play a couple games each season at Wild Things Park.

Washington played baseball games at Wash High Stadium – on what is now the football practice field – during the 1940s and 1950s. In the 1970s, the Little Prexies shared Colt Field with Washington & Jefferson College and the former Immaculate Conception High School.

The Little Prexies’ home schedule this season will be played at Wild Things Park. The field, with parking, is expected to be completed for the 2024 softball and baseball seasons.

The old East Washington High School operated from 1925 to 1966. Students then moved into the Washington School District and the building was transformed into an elementary school. It currently is home to Faith Christian School.

Lammay said the district and East Washington officials have previously talked about parking and that those discussions will continue when the sides can reconnect.

Tara Sparks-Gatling, president of Washington School Board, said the project is “long overdue” and the students “deserve a home field.

“We are in position to bring this to reality,” she added. “It was great planning by Rick Mancini. It’s the last piece to our athletic facility puzzle.

“The facility could also become a revenue-maker for the district. It is just a great thing for the students and the district.”