BC's refurbished sports complex dedicated before baseball, softball openers
| Thursday, Feb 04 2010 11:15 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Feb 04 2010 11:17 PM
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It's official as BC president Greg Chamberlain, center left, mayor Harvey Hall, center, and David Gay, center right, cut the ribbon dedicating the new Dean and Adah Gay Sports Complex at Bakersfield College. The BC baseball and softball teams watch from behind.
With the BC basball team behind him, David Gay addresses the crowd at the dedication of the Dean and Adah Gay Sports Complex at Bakersfield College. The complex, named for his parents, will be the home field for both the baseball and softball teams.
It was a year late to arrive, but that was forgotten Thursday night when several hundred spectators enthusiastically greeted the dedication of Bakersfield College's refurbished baseball and softball fields, the Dean and Adah Gay Sports Complex.
But the focus was on BC's appreciation of the Gay family, who donated $250,000 toward the project. Also emphasized was the pride BC's administration, coaches and players have for the quality of the facility.
"I haven't seen anything that compares," said BC baseball coach Tim Painton, who is starting his 15 th season with the Renegades and 18 th year as a community college baseball coach. "Mount SAC has a new facility. I think we're a bar above that."
BC softball coach Sandi Taylor, starting her 20th season with the Renegades, agreed that Mount SAC's facility is solid. "But our playing surface is the best anywhere, bar none," Taylor said.
Taylor pointed to the softball press box. "As a player or coach, I've never had a press box," she said.
David Gay, son of the late Dean and Adah Gay, said the project began in June, 2007, when BC athletic director Jan Stuebbe approached his father. Dean Gay was a defensive tackle at BC in 1939.
"We're pleased to be involved with this beautiful complex," David Gay said, adding that his parents "always championed education. Our family is honored this facility bears their name."
"This is truly a 'field of dreams,' " Taylor said. "It's going to be a lot of fun."
The refurbishing was originally scheduled to be completed prior to the start of last season, but various delays prevented the softball team from playing any games at home and the baseball team only had a handful of home games late in the season.
"We had a lot of freshmen last year," Painton said. "To me, it was the worst ever season with all the travel. Now they'll experience the best college season."
BASEBALL
Irvine Valley third baseman Micah Gorman broke a 1-1 tie with a leadoff home run in the top of the eighth, sparking the Lasers to a 4-1 win over Bakersfield College in the season opener for both teams. The Lasers added two more runs in the eighth on a walk, two hit batsmen and a two-run single by Ben Agredano. BC pitchers hit seven batters.
The Renegades threatened in the ninth, loading the bases with one out on a walk to Nick Fox, Greg Osteen's pinch single and a walk to Daniel Rueger. But Cameron Slach came into pitch and induced Riley Showers to hit into a game-ending double play -- started by a diving stop of a hard ground ball by second baseman Cole Wilson. BC had an outstanding pitching performance from starter Greg Fowler, who allowed one hit in six innings with six strikeouts. He hit three batters and walked two.
SOFTBALL
Fresno City College spoiled BC's season-opener, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good in an 8-6 win. Kathleen Hernandez's two-out, two-run home run that barely cleared the left-field wall was the key hit of the inning, wiping out what had been a 6-5 BC lead. The Renegades trailed 5-1 entering the bottom of the fifth but scored five runs to take the lead. Brittney Morrison's two-run, bases-loaded double down the right field line pulled BC to within 5-4. Jamie Dumatrait's foul pop fly down the first base line turned into a game-tying sacrifice fly and Amanda Flores followed with a go-ahead single.
BC hosts El Camino today at 5 p.m.
