Finally on field

Despite mother nature's best efforts, it appears the SNR Black Sox will have a spring baseball season.

According to the Sox' new head coach, Dave Skogen, this spring's baseball season will eventually get started, albeit somewhat late.

Though it's not ready just yet, the baseball field in New Rockford seems likely to be among the first ready for baseball, and could be one of the region's only usable fields throughout this spring.

"Everything is kind of in a holding pattern," explained Skogen. "Our field, by the sounds of it, is going to be one of the first ones ready thanks to the hard work of the volunteers who got most of that snow off ... we seem to be sitting okay."

On Tuesday, March 28, local volunteers cleared the local baseball field with heavy snow-removal equipment, and it appears their efforts have saved spring baseball in New Rockford.

Skogen said other school districts, such as South Border, LaMoure and others, have said they don't expect to get on their fields at all this spring.

That could mean a heavy home-game schedule this season for the Black Sox, and they may not be the only team utilizing New Rockford's field. Skogen said other teams might have to borrow the field in New Rockford just to get their games in.

At this point, however, it's hard to know what this season's schedule will look like.

Last Tuesday and Thursday the Black Sox were scheduled to play games in Tolna and LaMoure, neither of which took place. The Sox were also scheduled to play in Washburn on April 15, but as of press time it was unclear if that game would also be canceled.

Moving forward, Skogen said they'll be prioritizing region games, but couldn't guarantee that any games they've missed will be rescheduled.

In the meantime, the team has been getting in as much practice as possible, and Skogen says they're already showing signs of improvement.

"We've got talent all throughout the program and we've made major strides," he said. "I know last year did not go how probably anyone wanted it to go record wise, but we've made major, major strides in all aspects of the game."

Having been unable to practice outdoors, the Black Sox have made do however they can inside. They have access to a batting cage and can simulate certain baseball situations, and Skogen said focus has also been placed on fundamentals.

But there's nothing like the real thing.

Thankfully for the Sox, toward the end of last week they were finally able to step outside and get some practice done on the diamond – a good sign that SNR baseball isn't far off.

Skogen, who has years of experience coaching and/or playing baseball at nearly all levels from youth baseball through college, said the players will continue to practice hard and build a strong foundation as they await mother nature's cooperation.

"I call it stacking bricks," said Skogen, "where every day we work hard and we do the little things right, we stack a brick. The next day we come and do work again, we stack another brick. Eventually as you put enough days in where you're stacking bricks, you can build a foundation of confidence."