Yeah, "Tyler is a baseball town" made me laugh, too. I guess we are a very,
very small town within a larger city?!?!

We're hoping to see ya'll Saturday at UT. Will be late, but will show!

Cynde

>From: Marvin Hillhouse <marvinhillhouse@...>
>Reply-To: TylerBaseball@yahoogroups.com
>To: Tyler Baseball <TylerBaseball@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: [TylerBaseball] UT Tyler Baseball
>Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 13:42:36 -0800 (PST)
>
>For those of us that do not take the Tyler paper
>_______________________________________________________________________________
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>February 16, 2004
>
>
>It won't be long until the UT Tyler baseball and softball programs
>officially have a place to call home.
>
>
>In its inaugural campaign, the Patriots' baseball team was forced to play
>its home games at Faulkner Park, a complex best suited for Little League
>competition.
>
>Construction began on the school's new baseball and softball complex last
>summer, and with the baseball season just days away, the anticipation for
>UT Tyler's second baseball season couldn't be any higher.
>
>'); } //-->
>
>"We were in a difficult situation last year," said UT Tyler head baseball
>coach James Vilade. "Being off campus, we lost a lot of our student body
>population. If you liked baseball, were living on campus and didn't have a
>car, you couldn't go watch it.
>
>While the baseball team has conducted practices on the new diamond for
>about a month, the Patriots and their fans will be able to catch a first
>glimpse of the new park when UT Tyler hosts Central Baptist College (Ark.)
>in a season-opening doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday.
>
>The UT Tyler softball team will begin its inaugural campaign when the
>Patriots host Northwood University on Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m
>
>The baseball and softball complex is accessible via the campus' west
>entrance off Patriot Avenue. It is located across from the campus police
>building and adjacent to the Robert R. Muntz Library
>
>The softball stadium will be nearly 100 percent complete for Sunday's
>season opener.
>
>Even though the baseball stadium will be ready for game use on Saturday,
>several modifications will continue throughout and after the season.
>
>"Our stands are still under construction, the scoreboard's on its way up
>and we've got four of our eight light poles up," Vilade said. "We're going
>to be burning midnight oil (late this week) trying to get this thing ready
>for the fans."
>
>Vilade expects the lights, dugouts and scoreboard will be ready for opening
>day, but added that the stands would be a little bit behind schedule.
>
>Reserved seating, which will be chair-back seats directly behind home
>plate, have already sold out for the season.
>
>However, UT Tyler is offering a lawn chair rental program for its fans.
>While general admission tickets ($2 apiece) do not include a chair, fans
>are allowed to bring in lawn chairs or rent them for $5 per day to be used
>on the berms surrounding the first- and third-base lines.
>
>"It's going to have a kind of minor-league feel," Vilade said.
>
>Vilade suspects the rush for reserved season tickets was caused by his
>team's success at home last season (16-6 record) and a genuine interest in
>baseball around the area.
>
>"Anytime you can win at home, you're going to spark interest," he said. "I
>think with some of the strength of the local high schools and having minor
>league baseball in the past has proven (Tyler) to be a baseball town."
>
>Compared to Faulkner Park, with dimensions tailored to 13-16 year-olds, the
>new complex represents a more traditional college baseball setting.
>
>The distance from home plate to the right and left field fence is about 320
>feet, 360 to the gaps and 380 to dead center field. The wall is about 10
>feet tall, with an approximate three-foot rise in center.
>
>"I think the park is going to play real fair," Vilade said. "I don't think
>there's a pitcher's or hitter's advantage. Last year, playing at Faulkner,
>we saw some eight-run and 11-run innings. I don't think you'll see too many
>of those this season."
>
>With the city of Tyler experiencing two desertions on behalf of two minor
>league organizations in the past decade, Vilade understands his program's
>role with the city.
>
>"We're the new kids on the block, and we're ready to step in and treat the
>fans to some good games."
>
>
>
>
>Clint Buckley covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6293. e-mail:
>sports@...
>
>
>
>Marvin Hillhouse
>
>---------------------------------
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