Slugger Field

Play Ball! Padgett collaborates and innovates with two local companies.

How can it be possible for both The Louisville Bats and The Louisville City Football Club to play on Louisville Slugger Field? A soccer field is flat and a baseball field must include a raised pitcher’s mound. Three Southern Indiana based companies welcomed the opportunity to collaborate and be a part of the innovative idea to allow for two sports, baseball and soccer, to be played in the same arena on the same field.

In October 2014, Kerry Stemler, President of KM Stemler Company Inc., located in New Albany, Indiana, approached Padgett’s Project Manager Steve Bush with the idea of partnering on this interesting project which involved fabrication and assembly of a ͞retractable pitcher’s mound͟ structure. KM Stemler and Padgett, Inc. had previously worked together on several fabrication and crane service projects and Kerry felt this project fit Padgett.

The original design for the mound was created by Wayne Estopinal, President and Owner of TEG Architects (TEG) located in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

In December 2014, Padgett began detailing and fabrication of the 20-foot diameter steel structure. The structure had to be built in three components to allow for transporting. Once fabricated, it was shipped to the galvanizer to be dipped.

Upon return of the components to Padgett’s facility, they were re-assembled and a complex Joyce Dayton screw jack system was fitted, adjusted and installed to the bottom of the structure with Padgett and KM Stemler employees working in concert. TEG monitored the fabrication as it progressed and assisted in finding solutions to obstacles that came up during the process. Padgett’s team of innovators was very involved in finding solutions to any problem that was encountered.

The jacks were connected while the structure was still in Padgett’s facility and it was operated to make certain that it would raise and lower as was intended. After it was determined that the system worked properly, Padgett disassembled the structure, then loaded and delivered it on KM Stemler semi-trucks to Slugger Field for installation into the new foundation at the pitcher’s mound location that was constructed by KM Stemler in coordination with TEG and Metro Louisville. ͞We are so fortunate to have companies such as Padgett Inc in New Albany and TEG in Jeffersonville to work with on such an innovative, one-of-a-kind project. Padgett was a true partner in this project, said Kerry Stemler,President, KM Stemler Co. Inc.