Play Ball: Hillsborough To Reopen Softball, Baseball Fields

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Hillsborough County has moved one step closer to resuming baseball and softball at county facilities by announcing a process for youth and adult leagues to begin playing games and tournaments.

Baseball and softball leagues have been allowed to use county fields for practices and conditioning for several weeks, but games and tournaments have not been permitted since late March because of coronavirus concerns.

To receive permission to resume games on county-maintained fields, each league can now submit a plan that must be approved by Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation outlining what social distancing, sanitation, scheduling and other measures the leagues will use to assure the safety of players, volunteers and fans.

Effective immediately, baseball and softball leagues can submit the plans for review to Parks & Recreation at PRK-Fields@hillsboroughcounty.org.

Parks officials will quickly review and get back to the league with changes or approval.

County leaders made the decision to allow the resumption of baseball and softball games and tournaments after extensive consultation with local health officials, emergency managers, parks and recreation staff and league officials.