Babe Ruth Plays Under The Lights On The New Kentfield Diamonds

Pella vs Osky on May 17

The Babe Ruth fields are open and play is well under way for the Jr Babe Ruth season at the Lacey Recreation Complex!

The 13-15 yr old Babe Ruth Junior league competed against Pella in a double header Tuesday May 17th. Pella won the first game but Colton Swanson came back to pitch a 9-6 win for Osky in the second game, played under the lights at the newly developed Kentfield Babe Ruth fields.

The same Colton Swanson was the winner in the 13-15yr old division skills competition and home run derby as MCRF and the Oskaloosa Babe Ruth organization hosted a grand opening in honor of Charlie Kentfield and the 65 years he devoted to Oskaloosa Babe Ruth. “I think we are lucky to have the opportunity to play on a complex as nice as the two new Babe Ruth fields,” stated Matt Saville, Vice President of the Babe Ruth Organization. “With as much hard work and dedication that I witnessed Charlie put into his old field, this is the type of love and dedication I, along with Bill [Babe Ruth President], the other coaches, our volunteers and players, are trying to do for these new fields to make Charlie proud. We don’t consider taking care of these fields work, we consider it part of doing our share to give back to a man that gave so much and to give back to the Lacey Recreation Complex and new fields.”

The new fields were developed with donations, fundraisers, volunteer labor and two grants: $10,000 from Mahaska County Community Foundation and $58,000 from Baseball Tomorrow. The Kentfield Babe Ruth fields grand opening, held on May 8th, included a competition for three age divisions and an alumni ball game. Other winners and trophy recipients: U13 division Blake VanVeldhuizen; and 16-19 yr old division Austin Westercamp