SPRINGFIELD — When the New Ulm City Council voted not to allow Johnson and Mueller Parks in New Ulm to be used for the 2020 Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament because of concerns over COVID19, Springfield — which was to the third site and host eight ganes — is now preparing to be the main field and host 24 games, including the Class C championship game.

The tournament starts Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Springfield and Milroy, now the second site.

“Things have been going very well,” said Dale Lindmeier, who along with Steve Helget, are the co-chairs for the state tournament. “We have a lot of people helping and we have been following the guidelines from Brown County Health and the Minnesota Department of Health have set up. We do have markers around the park and arrows down for traffic flow, We are trying to do everything to make the tournament as safe as possible. We are following the protocol as safely as we can and still make it a great experience for everybody.”

Players and workers are all getting tested before they enter the parks.

Lindmeier said that with the added games in Springfield, the volunteers in Springfield have stepped up. “We are pleased and thankful for the response that we have gotten,” he said.

Helget said that the mayor and city council in Springfield have visited Riverside Park and have been very supportive.

“They are concerned about COVID like the rest of us are,” he said. “But after every game we empty the park and sanitize the park. It is going to be hard for local people to watch games without volunteering (250 fan limit per game) so the volunteer list is getting full because of that.”

Helget said that he and Lindmeier have worked closer with the Minnesota State Baseball Association after becoming the number one site.

“It was a tough deal for New Ulm but the state board has been working very well with me,” he said. “They (Minnesota State Board) are also staying in our hotel here and is helping with the cost of umpires. And Milroy jumped on board with us and we are real thankful for that. I don’t think the volunteers in Milroy have slept much they are so busy.”

Helget said that having the state tournament in Springfield is huge for the community.

“When I was growing up I saw baseball people like Bob Sturm and Norm Wilson they always said that Springfield should try and run more state tournaments,” Helget said. “Dale and I got together and said we really want to do this — it is great for our town. The campground nearby and we have a lot of new improvements. The park is very, very nice.”

Lindmeier gives a lot of credit to the excellent condtion of the park to George Tauer and Brandon Wilhelmi, who both have put countless hours into the baseball park.

Both Lindmeier and Helget agree that fans coming to the games will see very high caliber of baseball played.

Helget said that the Minnesota State Board has been very impressed with Riverside Park.

“And we are going to be able to spread those 250 fans each game around the park with additional seating so they can sit with their families if they want,” Helget said.

Lindmeier said that this is Springfield’s first state tournament since 1968.

“And with the updates and, while we are prejudice, we feel it is one of the best amateur baseball parks in Minnesota,” he said.

Lindmeier said that all of the Class C games will be lived streamed from Springfield and Milroy.

Cost is $29.99 for all Class C games on www.prepspotlight.tv/MSHSL.