EG Little League makes it happen with 4,000 lbs of infield mix and a bunch of volunteers

A few weeks ago, the East Greenwich Little League got a hundred 40 lb. bags of special infield soil and spent a Saturday earlier this month improving the field at Academy. According to Russ Marcantonio, who coordinated the project (and recently stepped down as president of the league), the field was in a “tired condition.” 

Noting the “classic Norman Rockwell feel” of Academy Field, “We decided on the board it was overdue for a field conditioning effort there.” 

This is not a slight on the town’s maintenance, Marcantonio said. “I’d like to note first that Andy Wade, Bill Pags [Pagliarini], and crew do an excellent job with our fields, but sometimes we have the opportunity via fundraising to do a little extra for the fields that benefits the 400+ kids of the league,” he said.

The last time the field had gotten a refresh was in 2017. 

“The native infield mix – dirt – has a lot of fines in it [fines are materials like silt and clay]. That’s not great for two reasons – very dusty in dry conditions and packs tight after rain making it hard for parent volunteers to rake the field before and after games,” Marcantonio said. 

“The process we did was to incorporate a product from Duraedge Engineered Soils called Fair Ball. It’s an engineered infield conditioner that gets amended into the current mix by way of nail dragging with a tractor and incorporating into the current soil. It greatly manages field moisture much better allowing easier maintenance and much better playability.”  

The 15 league parent volunteers and another 10 kids, along with two tractors, made fast work of the project, finishing in just three hours. 

“It was a great EGLL community effort,” Marcantonio said. 

Current EGLL President Brian Marcello agreed. 

“It was a great effort and fun day,” he said. “We have a great group of volunteers and board members who thoroughly enjoy giving back to our players and the community.”

They both wanted to remind everyone that EG’s oldest tradition in youth sports – Marcantonio said it’s been going on since 1952 – takes place this Saturday: the EGLL Opening Day Parade. Teams step off from Academy Field at 10 a.m., walk down to Main Street and over to Cragan Field for the season opening ceremony.