After many years of not having a field they could call their own, the Andalusia Lady Bulldogs should have their own place by the time the 2017 softball season rolls around.

“We are looking to at least have it ready to host a few games next season,” Andalusia head softball coach Anthony Mikel said. “It’s going to be a multi-year process. This year we will get in out dugouts, backstop, lights and we have a concrete pad that we will put aluminum bleachers on for the time being.”

Mikel said that the goal is to have the softball facility tie in with the rest of the athletic facilities at the high school.

“We want it to have the same look as the stadium and the baseball field,” Mikel said. “Our dugouts and backstop are going to be pretty similar to the ones on the baseball field.”

They will continue to add on to the facility over time.

“This thing could rival some college facilities,” Mikel said. “We have some great plans for it, but you know that all takes time and money. It’s going to take a lot of sweat equity from people in the program. We are very excited about it and what it will mean for our program.”

Mikel said that over the next few years he hopes to have permanent bleachers built into the hills down the first and third-base line, and to be able to host some big tournaments.

“This could be showcase facility for south Alabama,” Mikel said. “We want this place to be somewhere everyone wants to go. We have some great plans, but we could still use donations from anyone  that wants to help out.”