As the turf field project reaches its conclusion, the baseball team has completed a renovation of its own. The new dugouts were finished on Mar. 18.

The fence and the frame are up and ready for the season. The dugouts are finished and have been used by the baseball team for practice and one game so far this season. Since renovation began in December of 2014, the weather was an obstacle that the workers had to work around.

“The dugouts were finished before the season started and that’s all that matters,” varsity baseball coach Steve Teter said.

Previously, the shed stood behind the benches. The shed contains the tools needed to keep the field in good conditions, including a drag, rakes, and tamps to level the dirt.

The shed has two sections, one with a double door and the other with a single door. The single door will have a gate installed and will hold baseball equipment including team helmets, baseballs, and other baseball equipment. The section with the double door is where the tractor will be stored.

“The dugouts have a professional look to it. They provide protection from the elements like wind, rain, and even snow,” Teter said.

The dugouts were able to be finished with the help of many companies and individual people. Plumb Crazy dug out the footers and poured the concrete that started the entire dugout process. Huskins Construction Company was able to build the frame and add the finishing touches to the dugouts.

Assistant varsity baseball coaches Mike Ryan and Mike Lozinak ran point on the project. “Mike Ryan and Mike Lozinak worked countless hours and worked tirelessly to get [the dugouts] done,” Teter said.

Senior varsity captain Tim Kutcher also believes the dugouts will be a recruiting benefit. “The dugouts give the program a better look, and I think the improvements on our field will contribute to attracting more players to the program,” Kutcher said.

With recent renovations to JC, including the dugouts, the turf fields, and the air-conditioning added throughout the school, the school is adding to the appeal for prospective students.

“[The dugouts are] a great recruiting tool. When kids come to JC they’ll see how nice our field looks now and that’ll help with the recruiting process,” Teter said.

“Coach Teter has done a tremendous amount of work to build the [baseball] program. The field is not even remotely the same as my freshman year. [It] didn’t have a scoreboard, warning track, or dugouts, and our overall program is much better than it was,” Kutcher said.

Alex Rasmussen is a News Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.