PEORIA, IL – The premier Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex (LSSC) is the new game day home of Bradley Softball, giving the Braves one of the top home stadiums in the country, according to a joint announcement today from the Bradley Department of Athletics and the LSSC staff.
"We could not be more excited to announce our partnership with the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex as the new home of Bradley Softball," said Bradley Director of Athletics Dr. Chris Reynolds. "This state-of-the-art facility will undoubtedly be one of the premier softball venues in the Midwest, providing our student-athletes a remarkable game day stadium and practice facility, while also showcasing Bradley Softball to the thousands of youth players who will visit the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex annually."
"This is a great opportunity for our program to play in one of the top facilities in the Midwest," said ninth-year Braves head coach Amy Hayes. "In addition to providing a great venue for our team to compete, the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex will provide a much improved experience for our fans, as well as aid in our recruiting efforts. I'd like to thank Louisville Slugger Sports Complex owner Mark Petersen for his continued support of Bradley Athletics and specifically Bradley Softball. He has been a friend of our program for a number of years and our program has continued to grow thanks in part to his generosity and support. I'd also like to thank the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex staff for making every effort to help with the transition."
Petersen Hotels Field is the signature diamond among 10 softball fields at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex (8400 N. Orange Prairie Road) adjacent to the Hotels at Grand Prairie and retail district. Petersen Hotels Field features a completely synthetic surface; grand stand seating for 1,000 with additional, covered bleachers extending down each base line; a video board in right centerfield; night-game lighting; sunken dugouts equipped with a restroom in each; batting cages; and a concessions and merchandise stand. The stadium also is adjacent to a secondary stadium field and in close proximity to eight additional diamonds, as well as a 125,000-square-foot dome large enough for two more indoor fields.
The Braves are scheduled to make their Petersen Hotels Field debut Saturday by hosting a noon doubleheader against Missouri Valley Conference rival Missouri State. The teams will conclude their 3-game weekend series with an 11 a.m. game Sunday.
