Let There Be Light!

The Lake County Fielders will be returning home for a 12-game home stand beginning on July 26th as they face the Kansas City T-Bones.  Greeting them as they crest the horizon coming east on Route 173 will be the permanent stadium light standards we’ve been scrambling to install during the All Star break.

The game will mark the Fielders’ first night game in Zion, as weekdays games will now begin at 7:00 pm as originally scheduled.  There are three exceptions with a 12:00 noon start on Wednesday the 28th and then a 6:00 p.m. start for doubleheaders on the 30th and the 2nd allowing time to finish both games.

Saturday games are still at 6:00 p.m. and Sundays at 1:00.  Gates open and hour and a half before the first pitch so come on out and enjoy the pre-game batting practice and family-friendly park experience complete with Kid Zone and photos with Lucky, the team mascot. 

While the lights are certainly a highly visible addition to the park, the Fielders have been making continuous improvements to the park since its first home game on July 2nd.  Fans have hopefully noticed the added canopies, additional food vendors and new sponsors such at the expanded Timothy O’Toole’s Party Deck behind home plate.  The 26th will also include the long awaited Season Ticket Holders padded seating provided by Zion’s own Action Athletic.  

The bones of the permanent stadium are now in place with the professional dugouts, fencing, field, infrastructure and now lighting.  The team will continue to make additional improvements throughout the season and into the 2011 experience.  The project has become a study for other communities who have struggled with similar funding issues in this difficult economy.  Site visits have brought developers across the Midwest who are impressed by the county faire atmosphere and loyal fans who obviously appreciate the team making good on its promise to have a 2010 season in Zion.  The full stadium will come as truly as Phase One did…with faith and hard work all things are possible, especially when you start with a simple field of dreams.

For more information on tickets, game dates and special promotions, please visit the official Lake County Fielders’ site at www.fieldersbaseball.com.