Merchants Park stands ready to welcome thousands of players, coaches, and fans to Carroll next week for the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 1A and 2A state baseball tournaments. This is the fourth year the 1A and 2A baseball seasons will end in Carroll, and Parks and Recreation Director Chad Tiemeyer, who plays a central role in the planning alongside Carroll Chamber of Commerce Program Director Ashley Schable, says it is now something they look forward to every year.
They have around 60 volunteers scheduled to help out during the tournament. About 2/3rds of them are tasked with overseeing the admission gate, and the remainder help shuttle fans, clean up the park between games, or whatever else is needed. The local schools manage the concession stand. Tiemeyer says the feedback from IHSAA on Carroll as a host community is overwhelmingly positive.
Carroll first hosted state baseball in 2021 after scheduling issues at Principal Park in Des Moines left the IHSAA looking for a replacement site. What started as a one-year deal led to a three-year contract for Merchants Park to host the 1A and 2A tournaments. That contract is in its final year, but Tiemeyer likes Carroll’s odds of having it renewed.
IHSAA has requested a few changes at Merchants Park, including lighting updates, protective netting, ADA bleachers, and more. The Carroll City Council approved that $1.21 million project earlier this year. Construction will begin almost immediately after the tournament wraps up next week. Schable highlights the economic impact that state baseball has on Carroll.
Tiemeyer and Schable made their comments during an interview with Carroll Broadcasting this (Thursday) morning, and the full segment can be found included with this story on our website. The Class 1A quarterfinals are scheduled for Monday, while 2A’s are on Tuesday. The 1A semifinals will be held Wednesday and 2A’s on Thursday. The championship games are slated for Friday.
