Saugus is eyeing new softball field

SAUGUS-In what could become a vast game of musical chairs, a group of athletic leaders are trying to solve the too-many-sports-teams-and-too-little-field- space problem by possibly wrangling a new field.Superintendent Keith Manville said a group was looking at the possibility of putting in a proper softball field at the Belmonte Middle School. He said the issue came up when Saugus National Little League began looking for a new place to play.Saugus National has typically played its games on the field at the Elk’s Club on Main Street. But since the field doesn’t meet Little League regulations, they can never host a tournament. Manville said the team would like to find a new field and cast its eye on one located behind the Kasabuski Ice Arena. The problem with that field is the girl’s softball team is already using it.Manville said the thought was if they could find someplace else for the girls to play the little league team could take their field.That’s when World Series Park creator Bob Davis stepped into the mix. Davis said there is an old field located at the Belmonte, but five Saugus Youth Soccer teams use it for practice in the fall. He said there are no good and safe softball fields within the town and refurbishing the field adjacent to World Series Park would be ideal. It could also come at no cost to the town.If they can make it work, Davis said he has donations lined up that would include a backdrop, bases and excavation of the infield.”And I’ve offered to take care of the field like I do for World Series Park,” he added.Davis said he believes having an exclusive softball field would be advantageous to the town, especially since he expects there will be a surge in interest in softball this year.”The American League is trying to establish a girls softball league. It would be affiliated with Little League,” he said. “That combined with girls softball already being played . . . it seems like a really good cause.”Manville agreed.”If we put it there we’d have World Series Park, a brand new track and a state of the art softball field,” he said. “We’d have a nice little sports complex there.”Manville said a group including Davis, Saugus Youth Soccer, Youth and Recreation and the Town Manager met briefly on the issue and will meet again.”It was a nice amicable meeting,” he added. “We’re just trying to solve a problem.”