As Bates softball celebrates its 50th anniversary, the program is moving forward with a significant transformation of its home facility at Lafayette Street Field — marking a major investment in the future of softball at Bates. Fundraising efforts have met the $1 million dollar threshold thanks to gifts from a number of donors.
“I’m incredibly excited about what this project represents for our softball program and for the entire department,” said Director of Athletics Stacey Bunting. “As we celebrate 50 years of Bates softball, this project both recognizes the program’s history and invests in its future, creating a space that will support championship-level competition and enhance the daily experience for our student-athletes.”
Improvements include professional-grade drainage and installation of artificial turf. Drainage issues, along with lingering snow early in the season, have often required the softball team to travel for practice and games. Now they won’t have to.
“Turfing the field gives us consistency and a true home we can take pride in,” said softball Head Coach Kat McKay. “It will allow us to train as needed and compete at a high level regardless of the weather.”
There will be upgrades to the fencing and safety features. “It’s a much more modern, sleek, and functional look,” said Chris Streifel, director of capital planning and construction. “Definitely an improvement on the current chain link fence.” The field will be strategically reconfigured as well, with a new scoreboard in left field. Grandstand seating and a custom windscreen are also part of the improvements.
Leadership Gifts Officer Chelsea Turner ’94, who played softball throughout her time as a student at Bates, remembers a season the team traveled to Trinity College for their first game having never practiced outside. The weather and the field forced them to practice in Clifton Daggett Gray Athletic Building. Inspired by her experience as a player, Turner worked with donors on the project to transform the softball field.
For softball’s coach, there’s no doubt this project is “transformational,” but McKay also points out that her players have “never made excuses — they’ve made it work everywhere — different spaces, different fields, tough conditions, even traveling for ‘home’ games.”
Trustee Jeremy B. Chase ’91 and Christine Werthmann Chase ’92 were lead donors for the project, sponsoring a match to help reach this initial goal.
The team is heading into their postseason, having swept Trinity in a double header on Senior Day at home, but Coach McKay is already anticipating the future, with gratitude. “This gives our current players — and our alumni — something they’ve earned after 50 years of softball: a home field they can be proud to call theirs. This elevates everything we do and sets us up for where we want to go as a program.”
