Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press
As sports took a backseat due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco baseball coaching staff has been hard at work upgrading and making small renovations to NMMI Ballpark.
One thing that fans might notice is the alteration done to the outfield fence. The thick wind screen was replaced with fence slats to improve the aesthetics both from Main Street and inside the ballpark.
Aside from the minor touch up, one big project has been going on for the last year, and that’s the upgrading of the batting cages.
The new facility will have a roof that will allow players to take batting practice during inclement weather. It will not only benefit hitters but pitchers as well as it will have a covered area for bullpen work.
With netting that can be adjusted, there’s also a possibility of having some light infield work being done inside the new building.
Once the renovations are complete it will make for a safer and more comfortable environment. Ball ricocheting, which was once prevalent, will be nonexistent.
Sundance Construction LLC is currently helping out by creating the concrete base for the foundation of the building.
“We got construction started on the concrete portion of our batting cage upgrade,” said NMMI Bronco head baseball coach Chris Cook. “That phase of the project will be pretty quick.
“We’ve been slowly finding ways to keep the project moving forward. It’s taken a little bit of time.”
The building will provide four hitting stations. The rain or sun won’t wear down the new netting which will help with the longevity of the facility.
When the project is completed Cook plans on having a portion of the ballpark interior upgraded to a turf floor.
“My plan is to have a workable space for the hitters, eventually some bullpen mounds that we can cart in there and the pitchers can use,” he said. “We’ll have an open area on one end where guys can do plyometric drills.
“We just don’t have a place where anybody can hit on campus if it rains.”
For more information on helping the Bronco baseball team continue with their projects, contact Cook at 575-624-8282 or cook@nmmi.edu.