Prep baseball teams get big-league treatment at Pacific’s Klein Family Field

Kids sprint, tumble and chase each other through the aisles and grassy patches, imagining they’re tracking a foul ball off the bat of their favorite slugger.

The radar guns behind the plate capture the intensity of the moment; careers are made or broken off the numbers that flash across those screens.

A camera collects images of the crowd, capturing the coy and clownish alike, broadcasting their stunned looks and smiles on the scoreboard.

Beyond the right-center-field fence, pitchers warm up in the bullpen. And everywhere you look, the grass has never looked greener, the dirt never smoother.

For about a week each spring, the best Division I high school baseball teams in the southern half of the Sac-Joaquin Section invade the campus of Pacific, toting their dreams and title hopes.

For a select few, the playoffs offer a preview of the next level.

Since 2008, the Sac-Joaquin Section has partnered with Pacific to host the Division I South Tournament at Klein Family Field.

“It’s a perfect size for a baseball game,” Sac-Joaquin Section director of communications Will DeBoard said. “You get the big stadium with the polished treatment, but at the same time it still feels pretty intimate. It’s a nice place to watch a ballgame.”

For years, the tournament was staged at Billy Hebert Field, the former home of the Stockton Ports. When the Ports moved to Banner Island Ballpark in 2005, DeBoard said the section began exploring options.

Section officials found a home across town​ at Pacific’s new multimillion dollar baseball complex.

Klein Family Field was christened in 2006 with a Tigers victory over Nevada. Since then, the complex has hosted local tournaments, camps and the Sac-Joaquin Section.

The 2,500-seat facility features lights and luxury suites, an 18-foot faux brick wall in left and concession stands​, providing guests with small taste of the big-league experience.

Perennial Central California Conference power Turlock has been a regular guest at the Division I facility, reaching the South final four times: 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014.

The Bulldogs were back again on Thursday evening, tasked with taking out the South’s No. 1 seed, St. Mary’s, in an elimination game.

The thought of playing in a college ballpark keeps his players focused and sharp throughout a nearly four-month season, Turlock coach Mark de la Motte said.

“They really do,” enjoy games at Klein Family Field, he said. “And that’s always one of our goals to win league and then get to the playoffs. It’s something they always look forward to.”

The experience can be overwhelming, though. Teenagers accustomed to playing day games on dusty diamonds are susceptible to a few wide-eyed moments, especially when the lights flicker on or they hear their name blare over the PA system.

“It’s a really good park, and we’ve done well there,” de la Motte said. “It can be intimidating, because it’s the playoffs, it’s a really nice park, and we don’t play a lot of night games. All of that can take you out of your normal routine.”

They wouldn’t trade it for the world, though.

Even in defeat, Enochs coach Chris Butterfield took time out of his final huddle to reflect on the experience. He gathered his juniors in the left-field corner following a 7-3 loss to Tracy and set the tone for the team’s offseason program.

The goal, he said, is always to reach this stage of the postseason.

“This is a great ending, and to me, it gives a great incentive,” Butterfield said. “This is what we shoot for. All the talk is about winning league and getting to UOP. I hope they keep it for a long time.”

Sac-Joaquin Section officials hope to continue the relationship.

DeBoard said Klein Family Field embodies the section’s mission statement, joining Stockton Arena (wrestling) and Lincoln High in Stockton (soccer), among others, as premier playoff sites in the South.

“You want to have continuity, and you want to have consistency,” DeBoard said. “And you want to give the kids making the playoffs the best possible experience.”

This story was originally published May 14, 2015 at 10:00 PM with the headline "Prep baseball teams get big-league treatment at Pacific’s Klein Family Field."