Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

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Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

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EWA BEACH - Campbell's field of dreams opened with a nightmare.

Pearl City's Mya Grado led off the game with a home run to give the Chargers a short-lived 1-0 lead in a 2-1 loss to the Sabers, who debuted their fully artificial turfed field Tuesday.

After weeks of awaiting clearance, Campbell got the green light to play on its new field, which replaced the grass and dirt field. Earlier home games were played on the road. And the timing couldn't have been better. Pearl City has been playing its games away, too, as it awaits clearance for its field, which also has artificial turf. Had Campbell's field not been available, the game was to be played at Central Oahu Regional Park.

"The kids were happy," Campbell coach Shag Hermosura said. "At least they have a place to practice and play."

The only other artificial turf field Oahu teams have experienced is at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium, which has a dirt infield. Campbell's and Pearl City's fields have no dirt anywhere, not the pitching circle nor the home plate area. The softball field is connected to the baseball field, which also is turfed. The only glitch for now is that home plates on both fields were painted in until real ones can be installed, probably after the teams' respective seasons. Campbell athletic director Rory Pico said the school needed permission for this allowance. He said the painted home plates are the same dimensions as the normal plates. He added that games were permitted as long as the visiting teams agreed to play with the painted in plates. Included in the softball portion of the renovations are new dugouts, turfed bullpens, a batting cage and restrooms. There also is a transportable press box that is pulled by the familiar golf carts at schools.

Campbell junior shortstop Cairah Curran gave the new facility the thumbs up

"Feels good," she said. "Really nice. It's more comfortable, I guess, knowing that we have a good field and that we have people supporting us."

Curran said the turf plays fast.

"It's more smooth," she said. "Whenever you dive or slide, we kind of glide more and the bounces off the bat are harder."

Because grounders reach infielders faster, Curran said she plays a couple of steps back. That means she also practices one-hopping throws to first to take advantage of turf speeding up the bounces to the first baseman.

Hermosura said the team has been practicing on the new turf for about two weeks. Before that, the team practiced at neighborhood parks and Ewa Makai Middle School. 

Pearl City coach Chad Ohara said there wasn't a noticeable difference from a grass field. 

"The bounces played true," he said. "The girls moved well. It played like a normal field."

Obara's team still hasn't been on its school's new turf yet. But there's one positive.

"I don't have to line the field (for games)," he said with a smile.