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The loss of the Metrodome
affects hundreds of games at dozens of schools.
Photo by Ryan Coleman,
d3photography.com
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Many collegiate baseball programs in the upper Midwest rely on
the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome to get games in before the snow
disappears and the temperatures rise. However, that won't be an
option this season as there will be no college baseball in the
Metrodome this year.
The Metrodome roof collapsed on Dec. 12 after a major snowstorm
hit the area. Since then further panels in the roof have
failed.
An email sent out to all of the coaches who have scheduled games
in the dome this year said that the entire schedule would be
canceled because the Dome would not be available until late
March.
According to the email, Dome officials are meeting with engineers
to determine if they are going to repair the roof and the extent of
those repairs. If they repair the roof they may not have enough
material to complete the job. They are also considering a new roof.
Regardless, it won't happen in time for this season.
In the meantime, coaches such as St. Scholastica's Corey Kemp are
trying to get Dome dates re-scheduled for later in the season at
campus sites. The Saints have already talked with the St. Thomas
and plans on playing on the Tommies' campus field on March 31,
weather permitting.
"Our guys will go stir crazy if they have to practice in the
Wellness Center for six weeks before actually playing a game," Kemp
said.
Kemp has reached out to Iowa schools and is even looking at
Missouri and Illinois schools to see if they can get games for the
first weekend in March. Kemp is optimistic that his Dome dates can
be made up at a later date at campus sites. But losing the
Metrodome will affect many schools and more than 200 small-college
baseball games.