Softball and baseball teams announced plans for their new campaign ‘Better Together,’ to create new fields opening in April 2025. The new fields will help bring the community together. With the new fields having improved ways to watch and a more enjoyable game day experience, it will encourage more people to get involved and increase support for the teams.

As the high school progresses, so have the facilities and programs. Given that the baseball and softball facilities have remained untouched, and with the recent success of the baseball team winning a state title in 2022, the teams know that they deserve better fields to play on. 

“We’ve had a lot of success recently, and a lot more people are following us, so I think it would be good to just have a nice environment where people can come and watch,” baseball captain Mason McCurdy said.

With big plans being released, money still remains the biggest issue. The teams have started their fundraising in “bases”. The campaign starts at first base, where they are fundraising for facility designs. They will then move to second base to begin bidding and fundraising, leading them to third base, which involves constructing the fields, facilities and plaza. Finally, they hope to hit a grand slam by having the grand opening in April 2025. 

“It will take a huge, huge effort from a smaller group of people to raise that kind of money. It’s going to take a lot of sacrifice. It’s going to take a lot of donations from the community, businesses and then even businesses outside our community,” baseball head coach Mike Parker said.

The new field is projected to cost around $6 million and will have many advanced features such as grandstands, press boxes with a sound system, lighting for night games and turf fields. These improvements will not only make the game day experience more enjoyable but will also allow the teams to practice earlier in the year. 

Ryan said that their program is honored that the Stillwater Area has come to us and is looking to support their program by creating one of the best high school fields in the nation. 

As the field construction finishes, it will not only be home field for the Ponies, but also a place where the program’s future can dream of playing. 

Parker believes it will “Motivate our younger players to stay with baseball to have dreams of playing on that field”.

The softball and baseball teams are excited to launch their new fundraising campaign, bringing the community together, encouraging more people to get involved and increasing support for the teams. With advanced features, this fundraising campaign will allow the team to get out and practice earlier in the year. The campaign will require a huge amount of effort from the community and businesses to raise funds, but it will result in the creation of one of the best high school fields in the nation.