LEXINGTON, Ky. ? If you take a look at the home of the Kentucky baseball Wildcats right now it doesn?t look like one of the best playing surfaces in college baseball. The field, which was voted the 1998 Collegiate Baseball Field of the Year by the Sports Turf Management Association, is getting a face lift this week in the form of a new infield.

Kentucky head coach John Cohen thinks the infield will be another positive addition to a program which is steadily gaining national prominence.

?This new infield is going to be a significant improvement to our ballpark,? Cohen said. ?Donnie Mefford and the guys at turf management do a great job at always seeking a way to improve on the playing surfaces here at UK. This is a good way to improve an already amazing playing surface at Cliff Hagan. This is the best grass money can buy, it is like what they put on the greens at Augusta.?

Turf management director Donnie Mefford feels like this will create a smoother and thus safer infield.

?The number one goal behind this is the safety of our student athletes,? Mefford said. ?In baseball, a bounce of the ball can change the course of the game, so we wanted to smooth our infield over and make fielding a tough ground ball a little easier and provide a flat, safe surface. We were seeking to improve on what is an already wonderful field and provide our players an excellent and safe playing surface.?