ROCKINGHAM — The newly constructed indoor hitting facility that looms behind the left field fence at the Richmond Senior High School baseball field still needs some finishing touches.
Now the Raiders are calling on the community to help bring the project to completion, as the program kicked off its Snap! Raise fundraiser this week.
The baseball team is now the fourth Richmond athletic program to use the crowdfunding site, joining volleyball, boys’ soccer and football.
Ground broke on the 80-foot by 40-foot structure in September and the expected cost of the steel and metal structure was approximately $90,800. The Richmond County Board of Education agreed to put forth $50,000 to the project.
The remaining part of the funding was pulled from private donations, the Booster Club, as well as some fundraiser money the baseball program has raised over the last couple of seasons.
Head coach Rob Ransom said the indoor facility will allow for the program to take its talents to the next level. In order to do that, however, equipment needs to be installed.
“The community has always supported Raider athletics, especially baseball,” Ransom said. “We hope that the community support will continue this season as we try to furnish the inside of the building with the equipment needed to put our athletes in position to be successful.
“We need cages, protective nets, screens, turf, tees and baseballs,” he added of primary needs.
Ransom’s vision for the indoor facility is to have a batting tunnel running down each side, with a pitching tunnel in the middle. That will allow the team to split the batting cages in half to double up access and have four hitting areas.
Additionally, Ransom hopes to have room for mounds to be put in for bullpens, and would like to have a tee hitting station at the end of each tunnel.
The Raider baseball program holds an annual fruit sale as a primary fundraiser, but Ransom noted this year’s haul “was not as big as in the past.”
Through the first 48 hours of the 28-day fundraiser, the team has already raised $4,980 at the time of publication, nearly reaching the team’s initial goal of $5,000.
With 34 players across the varsity and junior varsity programs seeking the community’s help, 89 individual sponsors have already put forth donations. The fundraiser will run through March 7.
“We are off to a great start,” Ransom said. “We are very grateful for everyone who has participated. We hope to continue the positive momentum and I would like to reach $10,000.
“The level of uncertainty created by the pandemic, and the frustration our spring athletes felt last year losing their season have impacted the program,” Ransom said. “We are excited and grateful to have the opportunity to play this year.”
To view the Richmond Senior High School boys’ baseball team’s Snap! Raise page, click here.
