Manhasset will celebrate new field w/ Jennie Finch

The 10 months of fund-raising and the resulting six weeks of construction at Manhasset will culminate on Sunday with the ribbon-cutting ceremony to introduce Rocky’s Field. Softball superstar Jennie Finch will be in attendance

Through donations, the school’s softball field underwent $250,000 in renovations last winter and will now bear the name of Rocky Pacent, a former PAL softball coach and coordinator who died of cancer last March.

“We approached the school at the end of May and discussed it throughout the summer,” PAL coordinator Chris Jones said. “We got the go-ahead and in November we cut the contractors loose and they got it done pretty quickly.”

The old field had no drainedge system and the Indians played most of their games away from the home field. The remodeled version features a synthetic infield, an electronic scoreboard, outfield fences, cushioned dugout seats and batting cages.

Finch, a former Olympian, will hold softball tutorial sessions before the 1 p.m. ceremony.

Organizers contacted her agent and Finch, in New Jersey for a softball camp, agreed to make an appearance. A family made the donation to pay Finch’s fee but chose to remain anonymous, Jones said.

"It’ll be a huge experience for them,” Manhasset softball coach Amy Delmore said. “The girls are very amped for it.”