When Santa Monica High baseball coach Rob Duron arrived at school around 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 6, he was jolted by what he saw.
On the day Samohi was to play Culver City with the Ocean League championship at stake the field was flooded, a result it is believed to be due to sprinklers being left on overnight.
With the possibility of having to play the game elsewhere, gasoline cans were brought in and poured on the water. This is a tactic that is known to work, but it produces flames.
“I met everyone,” Duron explained of the next five hours. “Representatives of the school district, Samohi officials including the principal, the police department. I was told the fire department had been alerted.”
But no problems developed and by the 3:15 game time the field had been prepared.
“There was a concern we wouldn’t be able to get the pitching mound in proper shape,” said Duron. “But Paul Salazar went out for his warm-ups and said it was fine.
“I would like to thank Tyrone, a member of our ground crew, for his help. I don’t know his last name but we couldn’t have done it without him,” the Coach added.
Samohi proceeded to win the game, 2-1.
