It’s a conundrum that fortunately hasn’t proven hazardous for anyone on the Turlock High School campus, yet. Baseballs and softballs have been flying around, sometimes with no customary “heads up” warning.
On Tuesday, the Turlock Unified School District Board of Trustees approved $125,000 for new, permanent 34-foot high safety netting to be installed along the THS baseball field’s right field fence and along the softball field’s first base line.
According to Assistant Superintendent Business Services Mike Trainor, no students or faculty have been injured by baseballs or softballs hit over the fences.
“We have learned that we’ve had a few close calls, thankfully no one has been hurt,” said Trainor.
The baseball field’s right field fence backs up against the tennis courts. The two are currently separated a 18-foot chain link fence, which has proved insufficient to protect tennis players from screaming home runs hit well over the 319-foot sign at the right foul pole.
THS tennis player and student body Trustee student representative, Nicholas Vardeh, called the nets “essential” to tennis player safety.
The safety netting will be installed in between the right field wall and the tennis courts.
And on the softball field, the situation is even more dangerous. Just behind the first base line is a row of portable classrooms, followed by a walkway and then another row of classrooms. In the past foul balls off softball player’s bats have come falling near unsuspecting students and teachers.
The safety netting will be installed along the first base line for 200 feet.
