Prep softball: Bulldogs win potential Huston Field finale

OTTUMWA — It may be the last time an Ottumwa High School softball team competes on the field that bares his name.

Frank Huston made sure to get the final ball thrown in a game on what has been, for the past 52 years, the home diamond of the 28-time state qualifiers and two-time state champions. Huston came very close this season to achieving one last milestone on the field he has helped oversee and take care of for the past five decades, reaching 1,899 career wins on Monday with Ottumwa’s doubleheader sweep of Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

The Bulldogs made short work of the final scheduled high school varsity softball doubleheader to be played at Huston Field, winning each game in four innings with a 12-1 win in game one and a 13-3 win in game two. Breanna Griffiths and Caysen Thompson, two of Ottumwa’s four seniors to play in their final scheduled home game for the program, each hit their very first home runs at Huston Field as part of the opening-game victory for the Bulldogs while Lily Garrison connected on her second career Huston Field homer in game two helping OHS erase an early three-run deficit.

“There have been a lot of good memories here. It’s hard to leave,” Huston said. “If everything goes according to plan, this field will be used next season as the junior high’s home field.”

That would be because Ottumwa is scheduled to have a new home softball complex to call home next season. As part of the Greater Ottumwa Park renovation plan that was approved three years ago, the quadrant of the park where John Hart Stadium and the Ottumwa Babe Ruth baseball complex is located is set to have 16 new fields in place including what would be the new diamond for the Bulldog high school softball team.

Baring any delays in completing the project, Ottumwa’s new high school softball field would be ready for play by the start of next season. The Bulldogs could have more regional softball final to play at Huston Field, however, if Ottumwa (24-13) can knock off Bettendorf in Saturday’s Class 5A regional semifinals and gets an upset either from Jefferson (3-33) or Iowa City West at sixth-ranked Southeast Polk.

Baring upsets and a lack of major renovation project delays, Monday night began a historic week for Ottumwa softball and their hall-of-fame head coach. Huston will be going for his 1,900th career win on Wednesday when the Bulldogs head to Clear Creek-Amana to close out the regular season.

“It’s good that we still have some games left,” Huston said. “We’re hoping that we have several games left this season. It hasn’t really sunk in yet that that’s it.”