Field Maintenance Basics

1. Dugouts and field area should be free of litter after every event. Please pick up all trash and dispose of it in the waste containers at the field. Please check both dugouts of the field you use even if you did not use it. “Leave it cleaner than what it was before you used it.”


2. Remove all hazardous debris or material from the infield and outfield playing surface (large rocks, sticks, etc.)


3. Hand rake or hand drag the dirt areas of the infield that may need it.


4. Chalk the Batter Boxes (games only)
   • Use the batter’s box PVC template to make your batter’s box.
   • There is a handle that should be lined up with the parallel sides and the front corner of home plate. This will set the distance from home plate to the beginning of the side of the batter’s box.
   • Once the template is in place, walk on it so it will create an imprint in the dirt.
   • Lift the stencil and repeat the process for the other side of home plate. Once imprints are made, apply chalk on the imprints with the chalk machine (chalker).
5. Make the foul lines from the batter box to the outfield grass.
   • Drive a stake into the dirt behind the point at home plate (where the catcher squats).
   • Attach a string to the stake and run the string to the backside of first base (the side facing the dugout).
   • Once you have your string in place, you will apply chalk with the chalker. The chalk should be applied to the inside (toward pitcher mound) of the string line. The string will be the outer edge of your chalk line.
   • Repeat the process for the third base foul line.
6. The base coach boxes (Required for AAA divisions and higher) are a three-sided box that is open on the side facing the dugout.


7. Softball Pitching Circle:
   • Place a stake on the front center of the pitching rubber. Attach a string to the stake.
   • Attach another stake to the other end at 8 feet. Keeping the string taut, drag this stake around the pitching rubber to inscribe a circle of eight feet wide around the rubber. You should now have a circle imprinted in the dirt.
   • Use the chalker and place a line on the circle imprint.

Field Preperation

• Kent Little League Infield Dragging Guide
• Groundskeeper University Program
• Groundskeeper University How To Videos
• Hand Dragging a Smaller Field
• Filling Your Chalker
• How to Set Up Batter Box
• Setting Stakes for Stringline
• Applying a Chalk Line
• Determine if a field is too wet
• 6 Common Grounds Keeping Mistakes
• How to Apply a Drying Agent
• Back Raking- Wet Field

Field Diagram Links

• Baseball Sr/Jr Batter Box Diagram
• Baseball Sr/Jr Field Diagram
• Baseball Major/Minor Batter Box Diagram
• Baseball Major/Minor Field Diagram
• Softball Batter Box Diagram
• Softball Field Diagram