Parents say foul balls from Oakdale High baseball field pose risk to nearby homes, traffic

FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (7News) — 7News cameras caught foul balls flying over the netting at Oakdale High School in Frederick County, Maryland, smashing into homes and falling into traffic. One bouncing off a home's siding and hitting the home's lower roof.

"Last week in a single day, we had over 20 balls, sir," said Yakov Elizarov, who owns a home right behind home plate.

"That's dangerous," said7News I-Team Investigative Reporter Scott Taylor.

"It's very dangerous and, as you saw, one of the balls came in at a very high rate of speed and hit one of the properties, damaging the siding," added Elizarov.

Parents in the area are banning their kids from playing in their backyards.

"Whenever the game starts over here, we make sure our kids aren't coming to the backyard. Just for safety purposes," said Aaditya Sankara, who owns a home close to the baseball field.

The netting was constructed by developers when the homes were built years after the school and baseball field were constructed. Which means the Frederick County Public School District has never spent any money on the netting.

In a March 17 letter to a homeowner, the school district's Director of Safety & Emergency Management Department calls it unfortunate damage. He said the district believes that the responsibility for any damages falls on the developer, contractor and homeowners.

"From: Blundell, Scott K

Sent: Monday, March 17, 2025 4:52 PM

To: Yakov Elizarov

Dear Mr. Elizarov,

Thank you for reaching out to share your concerns. At Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS), we are committed to fostering positive relationships with our students, staff, and community members. Our goal is to engage in ways that nurture collaboration, foster shared responsibility for student success, and demonstrate pride in all aspects of our school system.

We respect your concerns regarding the potential for baseballs to land on properties adjacent to the Oakdale High School (OHS) baseball field, and we recognize the unfortunate damages that have occurred. However, as Mr. Whipp mentioned in his response to your email from Friday March 14, 2025, the school and field were established long before the residential areas were zoned and developed. The netting surrounding the field was installed many years ago by the original developer to support the homeowners, and FCPS believes that the responsibility for any damages caused by baseballs should fall to the developer, contractor, and homeowners, considering the field’s existence prior to the residential development.

We have issued guidance to the OHS staff and baseball participants to ensure that no students enter private properties to retrieve baseballs. Coaches and adult volunteers will attempt to contact homeowners to request permission to retrieve any baseballs. If there is no response, the baseballs will remain where they landed, and we will make a later attempt to reach out to the homeowners again.

Regarding any damages to your home or personal property, FCPS recommends that homeowners contact their insurance provider, as these types of damages typically fall under a homeowner’s insurance coverage.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

sb

Scott Blundell

Director, Safety & Emergency Management Department

Frederick County Public Schools"

"Did the school district see this as a safety issue or not? Yes or no on that?" asked 7 News Investigator Scott Taylor.

"We understand that the community has concerns. This field has been operated effectively at well over a decade so we look to continued conversations," said Paul Lebo, Chief Operating Officer with the Frederick County Public Schools.

"So that's not a yes or no?" asked Taylor.

Homeowners have sent multiple emails to the school district since 2024 asking for a solution.

From: gopi chand

Date: Sat, Apr 6, 2024 at 1:27PM

Subject: Urgent: Potential Safety Hazard Due to Baseballs Hitting Residential Homes

Dear Risk and Safety Management,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention a concerning issue regarding the safety of residents.

Please find attached photo documenting recent incidents where baseballs have struck residential homes in our neighborhood. These occurrences highlight the pressing need for immediate action to address the potential safety hazard posed by the inadequate protective netting surrounding the adjacent baseball field.

As evidenced by the attached photos, the current size of the protective netting is insufficient in containing stray baseballs within the designated playing area, resulting in property damage and posing a risk to the safety of nearby residents. It is imperative that measures be taken promptly to rectify this situation and ensure the well-being of our community.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a significant increase in incidents involving baseballs hitting residential homes in our neighborhood. Upon investigation, it has come to our attention that the size of the protective netting surrounding the baseball field adjacent to our homes may be inadequate in preventing stray baseballs from leaving the designated area and causing damage to nearby properties.

As you are well aware, the safety of residents should be of utmost importance, and the current situation poses a potential safety hazard to both property and individuals in the area. These incidents not only result in property damage but also raise concerns about the risk of personal injury to pedestrians or occupants of the homes affected.

In light of these concerns, I would like to recommend a thorough review of the existing protective netting to assess its effectiveness in containing stray baseballs within the designated playing area. Additionally, I urge you to consider the installation of taller or reinforced netting to ensure the safety of surrounding residents and properties.I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and trust that you will take the necessary steps to address this safety hazard promptly. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you require any further information or assistance in resolving this issue.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to ensuring the safety of our community.

Thanks

Gopi

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On Wed, Mar 27, 2024 at 2:28PM Bapiraju Adabala wrote:

Hello Joseph,

Good afternoon, I hope this email finds you well. My name is Chandu, and I live right next to the Oakdale School baseball field (Newly Constructed house by NV Homes). Today, I reported a concern to Oakdale School regarding baseball. I've been dealing with an issue for the past week where baseballs have been hitting my house multiple times. Yesterday, I observed a baseball hitting my house multiple times, causing a loud noise. Despite having a tall fence, this still occurs. I'm concerned about the potential damage to my property or harm to someone inside the house.

Just for your information, my wife is pregnant, and we have a small pet that she takes to the backyard for potty breaks during the day while I'm at work. I am worried about this now and need your help in this situation ASAP. Can you please assist me in sorting out this issue?

--

Thank you & Regards,

Bapiraju A

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From: Yakov Elizarov

Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2025 10:31 PM

I am writing in continuation of this email chain, on behalf of all the neighbors directly impacted by the ongoing safety hazards from the baseball field, who are also copied on this email. As we continue to organize, I will be adding more neighbors from the other side of the field who are also affected.

Additionally, I have copied County Executive Jessica Fitzwater, County Council Member Steve McKay, President of the Frederick County Board of Education Rae Gallagher, and our HOA Board of Directors to keep them informed of the situation. We ask that you carefully review this email chain, along with current email and supporting documentation, to fully understand the severity of the safety concerns we are facing.

@Whipp, Joseph A @Kendro, Kevin T

Today’s Incident Posed a Serious and Unacceptable Risk and Caused Significant Damage!

Over 20 foul baseballs flew into our private properties and vehicles today. A fast-moving ball came dangerously close to both my neighbor’s and my head before striking another home, damaging siding. Additionally, another ball hit my roof, causing further damage and shingles to fall. This is not an isolated event but an ongoing hazard. The police were called today, and I’ve attached the police report number, along with photographic evidence and video clips for your reference. You can view the files here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RHX7ZF7-_ivI7VNh7cr-s_gp1TDz8y5i?usp=drive_link We have collected sufficient evidence of the recurring safety risks and of negligence to have them addressed.

Immediate Action Required:

1.Temporary Safety Measures – This must be addressed urgently. If a solution is not implemented by the end of this week, we request that all baseball games be suspended until the issue is resolved.

2.Damage Repair Coordination & Compensation – Please provide the name of the individual or department responsible for handling damage assessments, repairs, and compensation for the damages caused to our properties and those of the other affected neighbors.

3.Long-Term Fix & Accountability – We require a detailed, actionable plan by Monday, 3/17/2025, at 4 PM outlining both the immediate and permanent safety measures.

We look forward to your confirmation of the next steps.

Best Regards,

Yakov

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"I would be angry if it were mine," said Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins.

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins believes the current height of the netting is a safety risk.

"Do you think it's a safety issue or not?" asked 7News Investigative Reporter Scott Taylor.

"I do. I really do. I think it's a potential risk of injury to children. A risk of foul balls hitting cars driving on the road behind it. I think property damage to homes out there are a really concern," added Jenkins.

Homeowners tell 7News they plan to attend the April 23 Board of Education meeting to express their concerns about the baseball field.