LINDALE — The Lindale Independent School District proudly unveiled their newly renovated high school baseball field on Monday night.
School board members cut the ribbon before the Eagles took the field and defeated Chapel Hill 11-3 in the first regular-season home game on their new turf.
Superintendent Stan Surratt thanked all the parents and the community for their votes on the bond that produced the field and admitted how proud he was of the new facilities.
The new field is part of a $42 million bond approved by Lindale voters in Nov. 2009. The new field’s infield is Hellas Matrix artificial surface, with only the pitcher’s mound and home plate featuring dirt.
“It’s a great feeling for Lindale ISD and our whole community,” Lindale Dept. Superintendent Jamie Holder said. “This is a community project, and when we went to the community with the bond they were very resounding in saying they wanted a new baseball field.
“We have a long standing success in our baseball and softball programs and it was the former players that helped us build this, especially with Robbie Surratt, our long time baseball coach who was here for over 20 years, and I know he’s looking down over us from Heaven and is proud as he can be,” Holder said.
Former coach Surratt passed away in 2008.
After the dedication, Lindale and Chapel Hill took to the new field in a non-district contest.
The Bulldogs scored the first run in the second inning, but five runs by the Eagles in the fifth gave them control of the game.
Lindale began the bottom of the third with four straight hits. Jason Misenheimer scored the first run on an error by the Bulldogs’ center fielder. Zane Neely and Jon French scored the next two runs. French scored on a triple to right-center by Ryan Dudley.
Chapel Hill added two runs in the fifth to make it a two-run contest. Pat Day and Jeremy Threlkeld each drove in a run.
Lindale, however, responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Matt Boeh and Sam Sitton reach reached to start the inning and scored. Jake Green and Misenheimer plated the final two runs of the frame. Misenheimer also picked up two RBIs.
The Eagles pushed across their final runs in the sixth. Sitton scored on an error, and Sam Saunders, who reached base on an error, scored with two outs.
Sitton earned the win for Lindale, pitching in relief of the starter Saunders. Josiah Lloyd tossed the final three innings for the Eagles and did not allow a hit.
“We’re blessed to have such a good place and a good crowd tonight,” Scotty Nichols, Lindale head baseball coach, said. “I was worried about us being tight coming into the game, but we finally got the sticks going in the third and got better as the game wore on.”
The Eagles continue their season by hosting the Robbie Surratt Memorial Tournament this weekend.
—
Lindale 11, Chapel Hill 3
Chapel Hill0100200—354
Lindale 005 042 X—1190
Jacob Melton, Jeremy Threlkeld (3), Phil Day (5) and Colton Belcher. Sam Saunders, Sam Sitton (3), Josiah Lloyd (5) and Matt Boeh. W — Sitton. L — Melton. Chapel Hill 2B — CH: Jeremy Threlkeld. 3B — L: Ryan Dudley.