ABI Sports Turf Infield Maintenance Guide

I N N O VAT I V E I N F I E L D M A I N T E N A N C E

GUIDE TO INFIELD CARE

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

1 LE ARN • CARE • IMPROVE

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WELCOME! Our Goal Is Safety And Playability.

Parents, Coaches, Volunteers, Athletic Directors, Parks Managers, Groundskeepers and Sports Turf Managers alike are entrusted to care for the game, and keep their athletes safe and baseball and softball fields, safe and playable.

The ABI Sports Turf lineup was purpose-built to care for the game. Operators get real work done, more efficiently, effectively and with more control. Each tool in the lineup is specifically engineered with attention to detail and insures users see immediate results on their fields. We design tools that help you best utilize the resources you have to care for the game. Our goal in this guide is beyond maintenance: we aim to impact how you LEARN about, CARE for, and IMPROVE your ballfields.

Our Partnership with DuraEdge

Unlike other infield grooming equipment companies, ABI has the world’s leading expert on infield design and maintenance working directly with our engineers to provide the very best infield equipment in the world. DuraEdge has installed two thirds of major league infields, as well as thousands of Division I, II and III colleges, high schools, and parks and recreation complexes throughout the United States. The knowledge and expertise that DuraEdge and Grant McKnight bring to ABI Sports Turf is reflected in the design of our equipment. This knowledge and expertise is exclusive to ABI Sports Turf and our customers.

What’s Inside the Guide:

I: LEARN

• Infield Mix, Conditioners, and Mound Clay • The Scouting Report on Your Infield • Gearing up with Proper Equipment

• Preparing for the Season • Preparing for Games • Preparing for the Offseason • Preparing for Rain

II: CARE

III: IMPROVE

• What’s your “model”?

• ABI Equipment • Cover all your Bases with DuraEdge & ABI

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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LEARN SECTION I:

The Foundation of Safety and Playability Infield Mix: The Foundation ALL SOIL CONSISTS OF SAND, SILT AND CLAY. An infield mix is a combination of these components, plus any topical layer of conditioner or topdressing. When moisture is added, silt and clay bind together and act as the glue which holds the components together.

It is very important to know the profile thickness of the infield, prior to performing any maintenance on the skin. According to DuraEdge, the world’s leading producer and installer of premium infield mix, the infield skin surface should be comprised of a base material, a minimum 3-4 inches of infield mix/soil, followed by a topical layer of topdressing (also known as conditioner).

DuraEdge has engineered the proper ratio of sand, silt and clay to ensure your infield mix is manageable specific to your level of maintenance and moisture, in order to attain a safe and playable infield. Just as these 3 components are necessary to make a good infield mix, proper grading for positive surface drainage, maintenance and grooming practices, and moisture management are all critical on any infield surface.

Top Dressings & Mound Clay CALCINED CLAY TOP DRESSING is a montmorillonite clay that is fired to 1400°F in a rotary kiln which turns the clay into a porous ceramic. This porous ceramic acts like a tiny sponge and is very absorbent which is why this material is used for drying a wet infield.

EXPANDED SHALE TOP DRESSING is a shale/clay that is fired to 2000°F in a rotary kiln creating larger pore space which in turn absorbs less moisture and allows more moisture to remain in the infield skin surface. This product is lightweight but typically slightly heavier (more dense) and more durable than calcined clay products. These products tend to migrate less and help shed water allowing more moisture to remain in the infield skin profile.

MOUND CLAY: High Traffic areas require a different mix for stability. Mound clays are made of a high clay content mix and when combined with moisture, adhere to a scarified surface. Repairing the mound and batter’s boxes is an everyday task. Sometimes other high-traffic areas around your infield skin can be scarified and packed with mound clay for a short term fix. DuraEdge offers a few different blends of mound clay for every level of play. Speak with your local field consultant for the best mix for your needs!

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LEARN Understanding YOUR Infield Surface

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Your infield surface will tell you what it needs if you’re willing to observe and record the clues it’s giving. Observing how your infield reacts to regular use and abuse, weather, and changing seasons is the first step to understanding how to improve and maintain its safety and playability.

What’s the Scouting Report on Your Infield?

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Is your infield surface “beachy”? Does it quickly dry out?

You may have a high sand content in your infield.

Is your infield surface dusty when dry and mucky when wet?

You may have a high silt content in your infield.

Is your infield surface very hard? Does it crack when dry?

You may have high clay content in your infield.

Does your infield surface migrate very easily to the edges or lips? Do you have dished out areas by home plate or where fielders typically play?

You may have a high silt and sand content. Consider a professional consultation about adding or amending the infield mix, especially on your pitcher’s mound and around home plate.

What’s Your Game Plan?

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What’s your access to water?

Who maintains your fields? How often are they available?

What level of play does your field accommodate?

What are my resources and what’s my budget?

Answering these questions help you formulate your game plan for a maintenance routine and improvement process. Then, consultation by an infield expert, an infield surface amendment or new infield mix installation process, and/or choosing professional grooming equipment may all be in order. However, the first step to any successful maintenance and improvement process is understanding where you stand and what your goals are.

The experts at DuraEdge have years of experience and have installed and amended hundreds of professional, collegiate, semi-pro, and youth infields, and have consulted hundreds more on how to get the most out of what they’ve already got.

ABI Sports Turf knows grooming inside and out, and together with DuraEdge, has developed the most advanced, purpose-built infield grooming equipment available today.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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LEARN Gearing Up for the Maintenance Game DuraEdge’s Recommended Hand Tool List ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ ɀɀ

6 or more 36” Double Play Rakes or Lute Rakes 1 Toolite Sifting Scoop 1-2 Sweet Spot Hand Tamps 1 2-Way Loop Action Hula Hoe 2 24” General Purpose Brooms 1-3 Cleat & Spike Cleaners 1 2 Gallon Hand Sprayer 1 1” Ultralite Hoses (100’) 1 1” Kocheck Multi-Mist Hose Nozzle 1 1” Quick Coupler Key Swivel Hose Adapter 1 1” Quick Coupler Key 3-4 6’ x 18’ Rigid Drag Mat 3-4 Garden Fan Leaf Rake

Motorized & Pull-behind tools (learn more on pgs 17-18)

ABI Force - Self-Propelled

Infield Rascals - for ATV/UTV

ABI Infield Grader - for mower

ABI Water Trailer - for ATV & larger

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CARE SECTION II:

Ensuring the Safety and Playability of your Ballfield What’s your Conditioning Plan?

Much like a professional ball player, keeping your ballfield in shape requires a executable plan. It must be specific to the level of play your ballfield accommodates and its unique characteristics such as soil composition, water availability, climate, maintenance frequency and amount of use. Just as pros do, it’s far better to have and maintain a year-round plan than it is to “let it lie” until the beginning of the season.

It’s helpful to compare a seasonal ballfield maintenance routine to a professional ball-player’s fitness routine. There’s spring training (heavy conditioning to ensure peak performance and avoid injury), in-season batting practice (maintaining form without disrupting performance), and off-season maintenance (necessary rest while ensuring an easy return to form).

For instance, it’s best to perform big changes to your field’s composition or grade in the offseason, critical to ensure your drainage moisture management program is in place in time for opening day, and not worth your time to perform daily maintenance (grooming, watering, etc.) when there’s not daily activity.

For fields that see play on a more year-round schedule, some of the larger maintenance tasks (amending infield mix, grading, major lip and edge work, rebuilding the mound, or patching low spots) must be scheduled carefully to not disrupt the safety and playability of the field.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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CARE Preparing Your Ballfield for the Season The best preparation for a season is properly putting your field to bed at the end of the previous season. It’s much easier to get back in shape if you don’t fall out of shape in the off-season!

At the beginning of every season, it is important to evaluate the safety and playability of your infield. Do not wait until the day before the season starts to evaluate your infield. Give yourself time to complete work prior to the start of the season. Inspect the infield skin surface. Ask yourself, Is the field too wet or dry? Are there weeds in the infield? Are there any lips that need to be addressed? Are there low areas or undulations that could result in standing water?

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When the field is dry enough, the maintenance process can begin. Do not let any athletes on the infield until it is deemed safe and playable. Allowing play on a field that is unplayable is dangerous and can affect the playability of the field for the entire season.

PRE-SEASON WORKOUT RECOMMENDED BY OUR INFIELD EXPERTS: 1. Start a fertilizing program for your turf areas.

2. Inspect the field for necessary areas to fill or renovate, and do so with infield mix. Call DuraEdge to speak with a trained representative for a professional recommendation.

3. Re-establish lips with an edger and patch if necessary with infield mix. Use a Hula Hoe or ABI Profile Blades to remove any creeping vegetation.

4. If your field shows extreme high and low areas, re-grading with a laser system may be in order.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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CARE Preparing Your Ballfield for Each Game Improper grooming techniques are the most common cause for lip buildup and improper drainage on any ballfield, affecting its safety and playability. Most professionals’ routine includes grooming before and after game play with a finishing attachment such as a drag mat or broom, and periodical dragging with a nail board or an engineered implement like the ABI VibraFlex drag.

Dragging and grooming an infield help regulate the safe play of your infield skin to ensure consistent and true ball movement across its surface. Professional fields should play quick and a good amount of spring to accommodate the speed and expertise of its players. Teeball fields, on the other end of the spectrum, should provide more cushion and forgiveness for the safe development of young players.

Grooming Your Infield Before and After Games ABI and DuraEdge recommend grooming the infield skin prior and after each game with a drag mat or finish broom. Doing so will help ensure a smooth playing surface and help the ball to play down and true.

Grooming before and after each game helps reset the surface and prevents small divots or dishes around the basepaths or home plate from growing and becoming chronic problems.

Just like on a roadway, the smallest divot can become a large pothole if left in traffic. When grooming, it is highly recommended to stay at least 12 inches away from your turf edges to reduce the chance of infield mix migrating, which in turn creates a lip.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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CARE Dragging Your Ballfield During the Season

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Dragging an infield releases the surface tension of the material and helps regulate the moisture content, drainage, and softness of an infield surface. Most nail drags are imperfect tools with unpredictable characteristics, but there are engineered options available that deliver more predictable and repeatable results, such as ABI’s VibraFlex drag.

DRAGGING POINTERS: • On average, an infield should be nail dragged once a week, especially during the drier months. This will ensure that your surface does not get overly firm.

• When utilizing a ABI VibraFlex or homemade nail board, rotate your starting and ending point along with the grooming pattern on a regular basis. Continual grooming using the same starting point, endpoint, and pattern will create low areas and unevenness over time.

• The utilization of weight or pressure on top of a drag can help to penetrate compacted surfaces.

• Ensure that the nail drag does not go deeper than a cleat, typically ¼-inch to ½-inch. ABI’s patented Positive Depth Control can help you ensure your depth setting is locked and consistent when nail dragging.

• When an infield skin surface is wet, a drag helps speed up the drying process.

• Be sure to avoid pulling infield material around the field, creating low spots and undulations. Additionally, nail dragging too deep can change the grade of the infield, create too soft of a surface, and allow the infield to remain wet for longer after rain.

• Be sure not drag the grooming equipment onto the grass! Utilize the Patented Lift system on the ABI line of groomers to lift the grooming equipment off the infield skin surface prior to exiting the infield.

PRO PRACTICE For predictable and reliable results, ABI’s infield grooming equipment was engineered to give the operator complete control of every ground-engaging component. Combine multiple attachments to increase efficiency when maintaining your infield skin. Routine VibraFlex dragging combined with the rear Rigid Drag Mat is an easy and effective onepass process!

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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CARE Preparing Edges & Base Paths

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Removing overgrown vegetation from the lips and edges (where infield dirt meets turf) of the infield is one of the most time-consuming jobs when getting a field ready for play.

Furthermore, infield mix and topdressing materials accumulate in turf edges and create a lip throughout the season. This occurs due to normal play, weather conditions (i.e. rain and wind), as well as from inconsistent maintenance.

However tall the task, creating and maintaining clean, smooth edges is critical for a safe and playable surface. This needs to be addressed before, during, and after the season. Smooth and level edges will help cut down on bad hops and misplays, as well as ensure successful surface drainage.

TOP TIPS FOR TIP-TOP LIPS • Reclaim your edges! Pick a safe time in the schedule, muster your available troops, and tackle the task of removing all creeping vegetation from the edges of an infield skin. Often, under-maintained infields may have up to or more than 12 inches of vegetation growth onto the infield surface. Removing the vegetation around an infield can drastically improve the drainage of an infield, and improve its overall safety and playability!

• Inspect your edges on a regular basis.

• Make sure edges are at grade to allow water to exit the playing surface. Any irregularities in the baselines or turf edges can create a “dam” or create puddles within the baselines.

• To allow for easy fixing of your baselines and cut outs, use a string line and take measurements of your existing edges. Record these so that you can keep track of where your edges are supposed to be throughout the year.

• For longer distances, use a 100 ft. steel tape to measure your base cutouts, home plate circle, and pitching circle edges (if applicable) and record them as well. Keeping a record of your edges will help in the pre/post-season maintenance work and take away the guesswork.

• To remove infield mix or topdressing materials from the turf, use a hand broom, leaf rake, vacuum, or a hose with the appropriate nozzle to jet the material out of the turf. This is a great post-game practice for your athletes! Teach them the importance of brooming out lips.

PRO PRACTICE For an efficient way to cut down lips and edges, use the Edger option on the ABI Force.

The ABI Force Edger can make either a straight cut or a curve for your arc. Additionally, a specialized subsurface blade cuts parallel with the ground to help remove the cut turf.

Otherwise, cut edges by hand using a manual or mechanical edger followed a lute rake for clean up.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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CARE Preparing Your Ballfield for the Offseason

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At the end of the season, the infield should be properly prepared to withstand a few months of minimal labor, severe weather, and easy re-conditioning for play next season. If the field is not being used during the fall or at the end of a fall season, renovation work and/or laser grading should be considered prior to winter.

“PUT THE FIELD TO BED” CHECKLIST:

R Inspect all field perimeters.

R Grade, groom, and roll the infield.

R Turf edges should be edged, and any built-up lips should be removed prior to winter.

Ensure there is a smooth transition from the infield surface to the grass edge so that the surface water can drain/flow off the infield.

R Infield mix should be added to any low areas so that there is no standing water collecting in areas over the winter.

R Install wind barriers where needed to help prevent migration of infield mix and top dressing from migrating to the turf edges.

R Prior to laser grading, remove all top dressing. Scarify the infield prior to adding new infield mix, adding moisture if needed. Add the required mix evenly over the infield and laser grade with laser guided equipment.

R If play will not be taking place on the infield for several weeks, wait until season is going to start to apply topdressing.

PRO PRACTICE The ABI Force is the best tool for assisting with putting your field “to bed”. Take your daily groomer and install the Laser Receiver, Mini Box with Tooth Bar to loosen, blend, pack and grade your infield skin to a laser’s precision. Work that used to require a third-party contractor is now possible on your own!

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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CARE Preparing Your Ballfield Before and After Rain If possible, it’s helpful to prepare an infield prior to a rain event. The amount of preparation needed depends on the amount of rain forecast and the existing infield conditions.

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Prior to rain...

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After rain...

DO observe how your infield takes, holds, and drains water.

DO keep moisture in the infield in anticipation of rain. Moisture in the infield mix prior to rain will help keep the particles bound together, establishing the flow of rain off the surface as opposed to saturation and material migration.

DO “seal off” your infield. A packed infield surface encourages surface draining as opposed to over-saturation.

DO check your edges to make sure there is a smooth transition into the turf and there isn’t a lip developing so that surface water can exit the infield.

DO tarp the pitching area and home plate area, especially if mound clay has been installed in these areas. Tarping the infield surface is important when large rain events are forecast and games need to be played soon after the rain event ends.

DO NOT nail drag or open up an infield prior to a rain event. If the infield is dry and loose, the rain can make the loose surface turn into wet slop and—depending on the slope—can accelerate erosion and runoff.

DO NOT attempt to get on the infield skin surface until the rain is over and there is no additional rain forecast.

DO nail drag the infield to a depth of 1/4’’ with a VibraFlex drag on an ABI Infield Rascal or ABI Force, ONLY when conditions are clear, and the infield surface can withstand the weight.

DO NOT rip up the infield by nail dragging deeper than 1/2-inch. It is very important to not nail drag too deep. The ABI Force and Rascal provides Positive Depth Control. The goal is to merely break surface tension and allow the infield conditioner to work.

DO nail drag in straight lines, as opposed to the typical circular pattern.

DO walk away for 30 minutes or more after dragging to allow time for the infield to dry naturally with sun and wind. Then, if needed, you can apply conditioner and finish grooming the infield with your preferred ABI Finish Attachment.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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CARE What’s your Moisture Management Plan?

Even with a crew armed with the newest equipment, state-of-the-art DuraEdge infield mix, and perfectly applied topdressing, if your infield’s moisture management is neglected or out of balance, the entire thing literally falls apart. Water is the glue that holds your entire infield together! Understanding how your infield holds and sheds moisture is key to getting the best results out of your infield surface. A good moisture management plan keeps in mind the availability of water, the availability of labor, your climate, your infield material makeup, and the type and amount of play it sees.

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First Steps to a Moisture Management Plan

1. Observe how your infield takes, holds, and sheds water. Can your infield hold a downpour without puddling? Does water run off or soak in? Does it muck up quickly? See how “thirsty” your infield is by dousing the field with a hose or watching after a rain event.

Typically, infields “play” best when there is some level of moisture throughout the profile of the infield mix. Moisture helps keep dust at a minimum, keeps material from migrating excessively, and prevents the surface from playing too hard.

2. Try the Key Test. An effective method for determining if you have enough moisture in the surface on a daily basis is the “key test”. If the moisture level is correct, you should be able to push a key or pocket knife down into the surface with minimal resistance and minimal material left on the key or knife. If you cannot get your key or knife into the skin, you need more moisture.

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3. Determine the Availability of Water. Is there a hose on or directly next to your infield?

A hose may be your best method to apply water. If you have little manpower or man-hours to ensure your infield or infields are properly watered, a Water Trailer is a great solution.

They can be pre-filled and apply water quickly and evenly!

Quick Tips • Allow enough time before games start to properly water the infield. Extra time allows more penetration into the infield mix and oftentimes, better results.

• If you have limited time, focus on position areas and sliding areas.

• Keep records of how often and how much you water the infield.

• It’s best to do the deep watering after the last game of the day.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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IMPROVE SECTION III:

Planning for more games, safer games, and less maintenance What are your resources and what’s your Game Plan?

Every ballfield, from little league to major league, has a finite amount of resources on hand, and must formulate a plan that accurately accounts for what’s available. In our experience, there are four main types of facilities, each with a different “game plan” for infield surface makeup and maintenance routine. It’s helpful to identify the amount and type of resources you have on hand to accomplish what’s expected of your field and facility. It’s then easier to formulate a plan for the overall improvement of your entire operation, which leads to more—and safer­—games played!

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Volunteer or Community Field

Low budget & sporadic volunteer manpower.

Maintenance may be irregular and just a few events may happen each season. You may find yourself saying “We have the annual church softball tournament this week. We should probably remove these weeds on the infield and mow the outfield grass before the tournament!” every year.

• Maintenance equipment must be easy-to-use, and is budget friendly. For example, a

selection of hand rakes/tools and a durable and budget-friendly drag like the Infield

Rascal (for ATVs) or Infield Grader (for mower) allow a volunteer work force to get

the field in shape quickly.

• Arranging an annual volunteer work day to reestablish an infield lip and overall grade

that drains properly is the best use of limited manpower to keep the infield surface

(no matter the type) in the best shape possible.

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Parks and Recreation Facility

Budget & Workforce is stable. Efficiency is key.

Your field(s) has a high amount of traffic during the season, and the biggest goal is getting all the games in safely with no rainouts! Hosting tournaments and league play (and the concessions that come with it) pays the bills and/or justifies the budget allocations from your board or local government.

• Making the most of your manpower is paramount, and investing in versatile and

efficiency-maximizing equipment like the ABI Force or Infield Rascal MVP help get

and keep your infields in shape quickly and easily.

• Your infield mix needs to take a beating, withstand weather events, and provide a

foundation for safe play at all ages. A DuraEdge consultant can easily diagnose the

best course of action for improving your infields from top to bottom.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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IMPROVE Resources and Game Plans, continued

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High School Ballfield

High performance expectations. Performance-based budget.

The grounds faculty and coaches are the maintenance crew. Safety and mitigating rainouts are paramount, and a higher level of play demands a higher standard of surface.

• That starts with an infield surface that plays consistent and firm, with a durable

transition from turf to infield skin that drains properly. Maintaining that surface

requires care and finesse.

• The VibraFlex attachment (for the Infield Rascal and ABI Force) was engineered to

maintain a consistent, safe, infield surface to a higher standard of performance.

• The combination of DuraEdge infield materials and ABI infield maintenance

equipment maximizes the performance of your ballfield, even when there’s no full time professional groundskeeping staff.

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Collegiate or Professional-level Facility

Professional expectations, with budget & workforce to match.

Your field must be dialed in daily, and your players, coaches, owners, and spectators all expect the field to play perfectly true for the duration of the game. You may be the groundskeeper or have a groundskeeping staff, and your charge is doing whatever it takes to keep the field safe, playable, and the best in the area. The better you tend your field, the better chance of recruiting high-end players, and you have a budget that reflects your professional level of play.

• While you may drag your infield by hand just before, during, and after the game,

having the extra brawn and versatility of a purpose-built, light-footprint, high-finesse

tool like the ABI Force lets you get real work done in and around the infield to keep

your edges in perfect shape, maintain a laser grade, repair sliding and position areas,

and groom warning tracks with greater efficiency and effectiveness.

• A professional installation of a DuraEdge infield mix provides the best play, the best

drainage, and best weather-resistance, and the VibraFlex and Profile Blade

attachments on ABI equipment keep the infield surface in perfect shape and help

return it quickly to playable shape even after significant rain events.

• A great surface and great maintenance program are your competitive edge!

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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IMPROVE ABI Maintenance Equipment: The ABI FORCE

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THE ABI FORCE is a revolutionary, zero turn, self-propelled machine packed with purpose-built features and attachments designed specif ically for inf ields. It eliminates the need to rely on bunker rakes created for the golf industry. The ABI Force is built to give you the control necessary to prepare and maintain the safest and most playable infields possible. The ABI Force features innovative VibraFlex and Profile Blade attachments that allow users to

properly care for infield surfaces of every type by removing creeping vegetation, relieving compaction, improving drainage, and maintaining an even grade, while the finishing attachments provide a professional-level finish. A plethora of useful attachments like a mini-box blade, scarifier rake, aerator, seed/fert spreader, and laser system gives the Force industry leading capability on your infield and around your entire facility!

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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IMPROVE ABI Maintenance Equipment: Pull-behind Drags & Water Trailers THE INFIELD RASCAL MVP™ is a rugged pullbehind baseball & softball infield surface groomer that has the versatility to daily groom major league infield surfaces, perform light infield renovations, and re-grade pothole-riddled gravel parking lots with ease. Utilizing a patented wheel lift system, the Rascal gives the operator much more finesse and control over “drag-and-drop” bunker rakes. For ATV & UTV.

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THE INFIELD RASCAL PRO™ produces amazing results for daily grooming and light renovation work.

Featuring VibraFlex™ Technology and a patented Wheel Lift System, which enables the operator to easily transport the tool and maintain complete control over grooming depth and aggressiveness.

The Infield Rascal Pro is a professional-level groomer for any infield! For ATV & UTV.

THE ABI INFIELD GRADER™ is a performance oriented yet cost-effective infield maintenance groomer designed for use behind a riding mower or zero-turn vehicle with a rear hitch. With an ABI Infield Grader, every baseball and softball league can now afford safer and more playable infields. For lawn mower.

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THE ABI COMPACT WATER TRAILERS are designed to excel at the transportation and even distribution of water. Perfectly configured for infield use, the ABI Sports Turf Compact Water Trailer has a light footprint, two wide-spray nozzles, easy on/ off control, garden-hose fill, and an adjustable hitch to fit most facilities’ requirements. A water trailer is quicker and requires less manpower than hoses. For ATV/UTV and larger.

ABI SPORTS TURF • INFIELD MAINTENANCE GUIDE • POWERED BY DURAEDGE

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IMPROVE Covering all your bases with ABI Sports Turf & DuraEdge 1st Base: The Right Foundation DURAEDGE ENGINEERED INFIELD MIXES

A ballfield’s integrity depends on the quality of its basic soil makeup. DuraEdge applies the scientific method to every project, taking the guesswork out of infield amendment and construction. After rigorous testing and formulation, DuraEdge’s infield experts create custom blends of clay, sand, and silt, resulting in the ideal infield mix for any facility—from little league to major league! DuraEdge is trusted by many major and minor league organizations, top collegiate programs, as well as many parks and recreation departments across the country!

2nd Base: The Right Topdressing PROSLIDE ENGINEERED TOPDRESSING A topdressing (or conditioner) is the true playing surface of an infield. It must help retain moisture, ensure fair bounces, create a smooth sliding surface, and add to an infield’s aesthetic appeal. ProSlide is an expanded shale topdressing developed by the soil experts at DuraEdge that provides a perfect playing surface for safe and reliable play. It helps balance both firm and fast surfaces in hot, dry months as well as sticky and wet surfaces in rainy months. Available in three colors and two grades, and designed to be compatible (but more durable than) other conditioners on the market, ProSlide is the perfect choice for any level of play!

3rd Base: The Right Equipment INNOVATIVE GROOMERS FROM ABI SPORTS TURF Even perfectly-formulated and installed infield mixes will degrade if not properly maintained and regularly groomed. ABI’s innovative line of infield groomers leave outdated homemade tools and tools not designed for baseball in the dust! ABI’s Infield Rascal and Force lines of infield groomers utilize VibraFlex technology, which provides a professional level of performance and dependability for daily grooming. Also unique to the sports turf industry, ABI’s Profile Blade can de-compact a too-tight infield skin, allowing greater water drainage and refreshing an infield’s “spring”.

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Maintenance Log & Notes DATE

MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY

NOTES

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I N N O VAT I V E I N F I E L D M A I N T E N A N C E

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OUR GOAL IS SAFETY & PLAYABILITY We all care so much for our beloved game of baseball and the players— from tee ball to superstar-level. That’s why it’s important to do our best to help them succeed and provide a strong foundation to excel. We at ABI Sports Turf and our partners at DuraEdge spend our days working on ways to strengthen that foundation and provide the tools necessary for us all to care for the game and its players. Thanks for taking the time to learn more about infield maintenance. Let us know how we can help you reach your goals for the ballfield that you have the honor of caring for!

Sincerely, Taylor Coquillard and the ABI Sports Turf team

CALL US TOLL FREE AT:

(877) 788-7253 ADDITIONAL INFO & VIDEOS ON OUR WEBSITE:

abiSportsTurf.com

LE ARN • CARE • IMPROVE