The University of Puget Sound's Athletic Department celebrated the conclusion of the facility upgrades to Logger Baseball Field and Logger Softball Field on Sunday, April 12th, marking a new era in Logger Athletics.
The Logger Baseball Field received an upgrade to its infield, moving away from dirt for the first time in the field's history. Thanks to a leading $300,000 donation by the Ben B. Cheney Foundation, the baseball team was able to install a synthetic turf infield. Since 1975, the Foundation has supported University of Puget Sound athletics, making a transformational impact on generations of students.
"In the Pacific Northwest, where weather is part of the identity of the game, the value of a turf infield goes far beyond convenience - it's a competitive game changer," said Puget Sound Director of Athletics, Chelsea Herman. "It means consistency when rain would otherwise take the field away, practice and development now don't depend on the forecast, and our scholar-athletes get the full measure of preparation they deserve. Most importantly, it reflects what this program is committed to: removing barriers to excellence so that when we step between the lines, the focus is never on the conditions, but always on performance, development, and competing at the highest level."
The Logger Softball Field received a major field upgrade, including the leveling of the dirt infield and new field drainage systems. Other facility improvements and additions include a new team room, new dugouts, a press box, and a significant increase in bleacher seating, fostering a championship viewing experience.
Along with an upgrade to the facilities, Puget Sound Athletics teamed up with Technology Services to install three remote cameras in the outfield, on the third base line, and on the first base line at both fields. In Puget Sound's new partnership with FloSports, the cameras are a major improvement to the livestream of Logger home games.
During the dedication event, University of Puget Sound President, Isiaah Crawford, threw out the first pitch at both the home baseball and softball games to celebrate the new era in Logger Athletics. With athletics staff, donors, community members, alumni, families, university officials, and both the architect and contractor present, the Puget Sound community showed up to mark baseball and softball's new beginning. The athletics staff offers their gratitude for the support, as the renovations provide a positive impact for the scholar-athletes.
The new facilities have opened many doors for Puget Sound's scholar-athletes, and couldn't be done without the support of the Logger Athletics community.
"Both Logger Baseball and Softball Field projects are a testament to what's possible when a community comes together with a shared purpose," said Herman. "We are deeply grateful to every individual who brought this vision to life as these facilities are more than fields—they are spaces where leaders are developed, lifelong relationships are built, and champions are made."
These events show the great partnership Athletics has with University Relations, as events like these honor the generosity of donors, parents, families, and alumni, as well as the hard work of Puget Sound's facilities, technology services, and operations teams.
The Puget Sound baseball team currently sits in fourth place in the Northwest Conference standings, and is battling for a spot in the Northwest Conference Tournament. They will wrap up their home season with a game on April 21 against Pacific Lutheran, and a three-game series against Linfield on April 25th-26th. The Puget Sound softball team concludes its home schedule against Whitworth this weekend, April 18th and 19th, with a senior celebration taking place following Sunday's contest.
