OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 11, 2021) – Oklahoma Christian's baseball team will be able to play on an artificial-turf infield at Dobson Field and enjoy a new scoreboard during the 2022 season, OC coach Lonny Cobble said Friday.

Fundraising for the project was announced in July and donors already have fully funded the infield project, which will cost $300,000.

OC has selected Sprinturf, LLC and Double E Construction as the contractors for the project. Plans call for site work on the new infield to begin this month (weather permitting) and for the installation of the artificial turf to occur in December. The estimated completion date for the project is the first week of January.

The goal is to have the project finished in time for the start of the season and for the new infield to be dedicated before OC's home opener on Feb. 11 against Lubbock Christian (Texas).

The installation of the new infield, in combination with Arvest Bank's generous sponsorship of a new $140,000 digital scoreboard, will complete Phase 1 of OC baseball facility upgrades. In Phase 2, OC hopes to install an artificial-turf outfield and create a Donor Wall of Fame at Dobson Field.

"Our athletes work so hard, not only for their coaches and team, but also in their educational pursuit for themselves and their professors," Cobble said. "Our student-athletes balance busy schedules in order to perform well on the field and in the classroom, and, in turn, we want to provide them the best possible conditions in which to train and compete. Our new field promises to be a major and vital improvement from its current state – a first-rate facility for our first-rate athletes!"

Dobson Field – named for one of the pillars of OC athletics, former athletic director, baseball coach and women's basketball coach Max Dobson – opened in 2008 when the university revived its baseball program.