La Crosse Loggers owner presents softball league concept to city Park Board

By this time next year, college softball players could be competing in a summer league in La Crosse and other towns in the region, the same way they do through the La Crosse Loggers.

Last week, the Northwoods Baseball League announced on WIZM’s La Crosse Talk PM its plans for a women’s softball league, and Copeland Park could be home for one team.

Loggers owner Dan Kapanke told the board Thursday that some adjustments may be needed at the park, depending on which league is playing on a given day.

“We’ll have to bring in a portable fence, because their outfield is a lot shorter than baseball,” he said. “We’ll have a portable fence there that will be our responsibility to provide, of course, and then, their bases are shorter.”

Kapanke hinted at a softball league during its February meeting.

“There’s nothing like this in the United States, nothing,” Kapanke said. “There are hundreds and hundreds of summer collegiate baseball teams for men, but there’s nothing, there’s no leagues for summer collegiate softball, so our league is thrilled” by the opportunity.

The softball league could have from five to nine teams. A separate lease will be negotiated to allow a women’s league to play at Loggers Field.