On the final day of the month, the Pal-Mac Varsity Baseball team celebrated a first. The team and the District officially opened their renovated baseball field with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday night.

The ceremony took place just before the team played Bloomfield in its first scrimmage of the year.

Seniors Ryan Caffyn, Brady Leo, Tino LoPresto and Shane Maier joined Board of Education members Laura Arrington, Dave Landon, Amy Boesel, Gary LaBerge, Chad Lindstrom (Class of ’96) and Sarah Newman in cutting the large red ribbon. Brenda Dandino, wife of former longtime baseball coach Dave Dandino, and Hannah Ward, a representative from Assemblyman Brian Manktelow’s office, also participated.

The event marked the first time in two years that a Pal-Mac baseball team played in front of home fans on its home field—literally. The field underwent construction after the 2023 season, as it went from a natural grass infield to artificial turf. Drainage improvements were also made in the outfield.

The work was part of the 2021 Facility Improvement Project, which voters approved that year.

The team primarily played at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) and nearby Colburn Park in Newark. LoPresto was the only remaining varsity player who had competed on the original field as a team member.

“This field represents not just a place for athletic competition, but a space where our community will gather, grow and thrive together for the foreseeable future,” interim Athletic Director Dan Harris said.

Following Harris’ remarks, LaBerge and Dandino threw out ceremonial first pitches.

Then it was time to do what hadn’t been done on the field in two years: play ball.

Camron Quick recorded Pal-Mac’s first hit and scored the scrimmage’s first run on a passed ball at second base.

Pal-Mac opened its regular season at home against Penn Yan on Friday.

The District thanked King+King Architects for design work; Appel Osborne Landscape Architects for transforming the site into a state-of-the-art facility; and Watchdog Building Partners for executing the project.

A special thanks was also extended to board members for their continued support of students and athletes.