Photos by Kim North A bench that was inside the third base dugout at the main field at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Youth Sports Complex in Elm Grove sits behind the backstop after flooding last Thursday heavily damaged the facility. Rocks and dirt also can be seen.

WHEELING — The infrastructure surrounding the main baseball field at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Youth Sports Complex in the Elm Grove neighborhood sustained heavy damage following a severe thunderstorm that rolled through the Ohio Valley last Thursday.

The field, listed as Field 5 on the City of Wheeling Parks and Recreation directory, is used by the Wheeling University baseball team; the Wheeling Central baseball team; and the Wheeling Pioneers of the Ohio Valley Baseball League.

According to Wheeling University head baseball coach Ryan Lewicki and Tom Bechtel, director of the seven-field facility, they are awaiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency to visit the site to see if it qualifies for funding.

“Nobody can play on that field until FEMA officials come in and take a look at the damage,” Bechtel said Tuesday afternoon. “Until then, everything is on hold.”

Lewicki said he was told to start looking for a place to play his fall ball schedule.

“Everything is now in the hands of the city of Wheeling,” Lewicki, the field’s primary caretaker, said. “After they go to FEMA and we receive some funding, then we can start getting some stuff done up there. We don’t have the funding to do it ourselves.”

Lewicki said the process could take some time. “I’m already looking for a different site to play at in the fall.”

Damage was limited to the dugouts and press box area. The field itself suffered no damage.

“The drain in the parking lot behind the press box became clogged,” Lewicki said. “All the water, rocks and dirt ran through the dugouts, especially on the third base side. The rocks weren’t there. I don’t know where they came from. The press box had a foot of water inside the first floor.

“The playing surface isn’t terrible, but the infield grass has been there now for 20 years,” he added. “If we are going to start tearing up some of the ground, we might as well replace it, as well.”