Work progresses on Lamar’s softball home

BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University won’t officially play its first softball game until next spring, but that doesn’t mean that the coaching staff isn’t staying busy.

Head coach Holly Bruder and assistant coach Allison Honkofsky have been spending a lot of time getting next season’s home field ready. The Lady Cardinals will be calling Diamond No. 1 at Beaumont’s Ford Park their home next year.

Thanks to Brystar Contracting of Beaumont, which donated the labor, equipment and materials, Diamond No. 1 is getting a complete facelift in time for next season. The infield, which was previously grass with dirt cutouts, has been completely stripped and a new subsurface has been put down, while the outfield has been seeded and fertilized. In addition, construction has started on bullpens and a hitting area.

There’s still plenty of work to be done before next season’s first pitch. For starters, a top layer of brick dust needs to be put on the infield, nets have to be put up in the bullpens and hitting areas and signage needs to be erected throughout the area

“I’m out at Ford Park almost every day,” Bruder said. “There’s so much to be done. I’m extremely grateful to Bryan Phelps and Brystar Contracting. We couldn’t do this without them.”

Bruder and Honkofsky aren’t spending all of their time at Ford Park. They’re also doing some recruiting and taking a look at the other Southland Conference programs.

“We’re not only watching games to get an idea of our competition, we’re looking at the whole operation,” Bruder said. “To get an idea of what we want to do and what we don’t want to do. We learn something every time we go somewhere. We want to make this a first-class program.”