La Salle to buy net to prevent men’s softballs from going into little league at Hegeler Park

The La Salle City Council agreed Monday to buy a net to address safety concerns regarding players from the men’s softball league hitting balls into the little league field at Hegeler Park.

Alderman Joe Jeppson said during the council meeting a committee composed of Jeppson, Parks and Recreation Director Lynda Kasik, La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove, two representatives from the men’s softball league and two representatives from little league came up with the new net as a solution.

“We decided putting up a second net above the current net would solve our safety issues,” he said.

Jeppson said the net should go from the men’s softball right field fence to the concession stands.

The council agreed at the April 1 meeting to form the committee. President of Baseball and Vice President of Softball Josh Busche said during the April 1 meeting there are nets at the ballpark, but the men’s softball players are hitting balls over them.

“If this ball was to hit somebody, there’s potential for a life altering event with that,” Busche said during the previous meeting. “And the question should be how many times do we allow that to happen? Because at some point, it’s not an if it’s going to hit a kid, it’s a when it’s going to hit a kid.”

Jeppson said Monday both sides were heard and able to come to a resolution that worked for all parties.

“I feel like the No. 1 goal here was safety,” he said. “We don’t want any kids getting hurt. This is going to double the size of the net and protect the concession stand.”

JB Contracting will install the net at Hegeler Park for $4,500, which includes furnishing and installing wire rope, mounting hardware and hanging the net.

Jeppson said the price for a higher net was because a bucket truck will need to be used to reach the new height, which will place it near electrical wires.

Grove said another component to come out of the discussion was this year the men’s softball team and the little league team will try to have no overlapping games.

“That’s going to be the key ultimately ... ” he said. “The net is put up just in case there is for some reason a makeup or some kind of mis-scheduling.”