Trenton High School Gets New Batting Cages

The view of from West Road changed recently after volunteers built a large series of batting cages for the school's baseball and softball teams.

The two 70-foot netted cages lined up end-to-end are located on the high school's campus near the varsity baseball field.

In the cages, two players can hit against a live pitcher, while several others can hit off a tee or by soft toss.

Head Coach Todd Szalka said the cages will eventually be sectioned off for even more live pitching availability. The team is waiting on a few additional pieces to complete the build.

The surface beneath the cages is currently dirt, but will be cemented and covered with artificial turf in the near future.

Szalka said his practices are going to be much more efficient with the addition of the cages.

"Probably the biggest time consumer in practice -- the biggest waste of time in any practice -- is batting practice," Szalka said.

In the time it took to hit ten balls, players can now hit over 200 balls.

The team paid for the cages with money raised by a lottery fundraiser that takes place each May.

It took volunteers and baseball players about eight hours to erect the massive structure.

Players began using the cages almost immediately, and both players and coaches hope the extra practice will pay off.

"We're hoping that that will help us in the long run and help us become an even better program," Szalka said.

Garret Vandenberg has the second most home runs for the Trojans and said the new cages are "awesome."

"(The cages will help) increase our quality at bats, make sure we wear the pitcher out, hit the ball and increase our offense," Vandenberg said.

Vandenberg added the cages could improve his chances of moving into the team's top homerun spot.