MSHSAA ANNOUNCES BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP VENUE
Springfield’s Meador Park to be home of MSHSAA Baseball Championships for next three years

Columbia, Mo.- The Missouri State High School Activities Association announced the host site for 2009-2011 State Championships for all four classes today. After weighing the proposals from Springfield and St. Joseph, the MSHSAA Board of Directors voted unanimously to allow Springfield to host the championship for the next three years.

“We are very excited about returning to a venue for which we have received many positive comments for our baseball championships,” said MSHSAA Executive Director Dr. Kerwin Urhahn. “We appreciate the work that both cities put into this bid process and we have taken this process very seriously. We have an obligation to our membership to find not only the best facilities to host our championships, but also the best support from the host site to serve our schools needs.  The City of Springfield and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board have hit a home run once again.”

Meador Park is also home to the Panthers of Drury University in Springfield.  The dimensions of Meador are approximately 350 feet down the lines, 365 feet in the power alleys and 380 to centerfield.  The list of improvements is numerous to Meador over the past few years. It includes a resurfaced infield, an in-ground irrigation system, the installation of protective nylon netting, an all-brick backstop, a new paint job for the entire facility, a new high-tech scoreboard and public address system, as well as the addition of 155 chair-back seats behind home plate, among other upgrades.

“Springfield can’t wait to play host to the MSHSAA State Baseball Championships,” said Jodie Adams, Director of Parks for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.  “It was great seeing the excellent teams play and the wonderful support for high school sports the past two years at the baseball championships.  We have been associated with MSHSAA for a long time and are very honored to be hosting of the baseball championships.”