New era for Gonzaga

For Gonzaga baseball fans there was reason to celebrate the construction site with partially-built dugouts on the corner of Spokane Falls Boulevard and Cincinnati Street.

While it doesn’t look like much now, the site will house Gonzaga’s Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field, scheduled to be ready for the 2007 season.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new stadium took place Tuesday afternoon in front of the taped-off construction zone in the process of getting ready for grass seed.

Before Steve Hertz, GU’s director of athletic relations, could start the event, a large gust of wind uprooted the white tent that was providing shade to the standing-room-only crowd.

“That’s what baseball is all about, the unknown and the unpredictable,” Hertz opened with after the tent was dismantled.

Gonzaga President Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Mayor Dennis Hession, baseball coach Mark Machtolf, GU Board of Trustees Chairman Michael Patterson and Hertz all took turns extending thank-yous and expressing how excited they were to build the new home of Bulldogs baseball.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Hertz said. “It’s something I’ve wanted and the program has deserved. It’s a wonderful day.”

The proposed $7-8 million complex, named after Patterson and family, is located south of the McCarthey Athletic Center, site of the former baseball stadium.

Along with the dugouts, the field drainage and sprinkler system are also set in place.

The ceremony officially started the construction of the stadium portion. The five speakers along with four other sponsors, broke the earth’s surface with shovels in hand to start the project.

Machtolf explained to the crowd the benefits the new stadium will have for his team and to the future of Gonzaga recruiting. He said the Bulldogs will be able to set a practice schedule, run the players to class between practices, schedule early home games and attract the best players and students.

Gonzaga baseball hasn’t had an on-campus facility since spring 2003.

“I’m elated,” Machtolf said about the stadium. “It’s so nice to be back on campus.”

Machtolf said he is looking forward to the upgrades the Patterson Complex will entail, but is happy to stick to a traditional grass field as opposed to turf.

“What would life be without bad hops occasionally,” Hertz said about the natural grass.

Gonzaga baseball won’t be the only team to benefit from the new stadium. Hertz didn’t know to what extent the number of other groups that will also be utilizing the field, but he said the American Legion and Southside Little League were among them.

The new facility will have about 1,300 seats, field lights, home and visitors locker rooms, baseball offices, modern restrooms and concession stands.

A 50-foot high net will be placed in between each foul pole to prevent balls from going onto Spokane Falls Boulevard to the south and Cincinnati Street to the east.

The entrance to the stadium, the Northern Quest Casino Plaza, will be located behind the third-base line stands.