With spring sports quickly approaching, softball and baseball teams are practicing in the newly installed batting cages to prepare for the upcoming season.
“They are better because it has a lot more space, and with it being two cages, it fits way more people,” Cash Lund said.
It is also less dangerous when it comes to being hit by balls. The last batting cages had openings along the walls, leaving people on the basketball court in the gym at higher risk.
Overall, the new addition is ideal for the LHS softball and baseball programs as they are much more convenient when working inside. At this time of the year especially, the weather only sometimes allows the teams to go onto their fields.
“It brings a new environment and more room for drills,” Jacqueline Gallus said.
New turf in the facility allows more live-action drills and live-at bats since everything is more open than before.
“They’re nice because they’re big enough to set up a machine, so we get more game looks,” Roan Reilly said.
Easy access to a pitching machine is an excellent factor so players can work on hitting against game-speed pitches. Certain athletes preferred and missed the old batting cages for conflicting reasons.
“I liked the old ones better because we had more room for tee work, but there’s the pitching machine,” Mackenzie Briggs said.
Now, there are two batting cages where there was originally one. This allows specific drills to be done more, but tee work is difficult. Splitting up the team into the two cages is also necessary to be able to all hit.
The final downside is the back wall of the cages is all wood material, so it dents easily, and there are already a lot of holes.
For many, the cages were essential as tryouts were held upstairs and in the gym.
Tryouts for this spring have been wrapped up for softball and teams will be finalized on Feb. 26 or 27.
