The town of Southington prides itself on its schools and its sports teams and that pride has meant a first-class baseball field at the high school. What is hasn't meant is the same first-class softball field - yet.
One field has lights, one doesn't. One field has dugouts, one doesn't. Boys play baseball on one field while girls play softball on the other. Now, state officials want Southington High to improve the softball field.
The Lady Knights have been doing fine despite the difference, winning three state titles in a row though losing this last year.
"I think the softball team has been winning state championships back to back and they deserve to be just up there with the baseball team," said Erika Dineno, who was a cheerleader when she was a student at Southington High.
Southington High honors "field light contributors" with plaques on the side of the press box of the baseball field. The head of the school board told the Meriden Record Journal newspaper it's not fair for the public schools to have to pay for improvements to the softball field to bring it up to the standard donors gave money to build at the baseball field.
"Some of these improvements to the baseball field were made with booster money and contributions so I'm a little unsure why the state is stepping in," Rosemary Cwirka said.
Alexia Antonio, who plans to go out for softball at Southington High, said she notices the difference.
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“I think theirs is a little bit better, they take more care of it than like our field," she said.
