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UMES baseball and softball fields due for $5.5 million in upgrades to quell disparity issue

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ANNAPOLIS — To correct disparities between softball and baseball playing fields at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore the Board of Public Works (BPW) approved a construction contract for capital improvements totaling more than $5.5 million.

Renovations and upgrades will be at both Hawk Stadium and Hawk Field to include dugouts, batting cages and bullpens along with the installation of synthetic turf — but specific to the softball field will be the “installation of bleachers and press box,” according to the BPW.

In May 2023 the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) settled a complaint alleging the university “had discriminated on the basis of sex when it failed to properly investigate whether the softball program was being treated less favorably than other athletic programs on the basis of sex.”

OCR’s annual report for FY23 added, “The complaint also alleged that the university failed to provide equal opportunities to female athletes in a variety of ways in its intercollegiate athletic program.”

Among the specific differences was “the quality of the locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities,” although the complaint also cited the quality of equipment and supplies, an “insufficient number of coaches” and a difference in the travel and per diem allowance.

For its part UMES “agreed to provide male and female students equal athletic opportunity in the provision of equipment and supplies; the scheduling of games and practice times; with respect to travel and per diem allowance….[and] in the provision of locker room, practice, and competitive facilities….”

The BPW on Jan. 8 voted to award a $5,568,636 contract to FieldTurf USA of Calhoun, Georgia, for the improvements which include installation of batting cages for both home and away teams.
The existing fencing and backstops will also be replaced.

The construction contract and warranty will run 30 months from notice to proceed. Ironically it was in April 2023 when groundbreaking was held for the installation of new turf for the two ballfields. Since then both teams play home games at the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury.

The baseball team competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA’s) Division I and is a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC). Softball is also Division I, playing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

The BPW is chaired by Gov. Wes Moore with members Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Treasurer Dereck Davis. The improvements to the two ballfields are one of five major enhancement projects on campus either recently completed or in progress to include new stormwater infrastructure and building renovations to construction of a new Ag Research and Education Center.

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