What kind of mound clay is right for me?
Ewing offers several different types of mound clay, and choosing the right one can be very important. Keeping the pitcher’s mound and home plate areas with the appropriate amount of moisture is critical to ensuring the playing surface is safe and playable. Because the highest wear areas of a baseball field are the pitcher’s mound and home plate areas, they are often constructed with a higher-than-average amount of clay. Clay provides greater traction for athletes and reduces the amount of wear in these particular areas.

Because clay can get slick and slimy when it's wet, and can turn into a dense "brick" when it's dry, providing and maintaining the necessary amount of moisture maintenance is essential for high clay areas.

How do I control moisture?

Controlling the moisture in the soil is often done with a tarp or "spot cover" and will keep the clay in good condition for play.

If you do not use a tarp to cover the field, use Turface All-Purpose Clay. Most Little Leagues and recreational leagues use All-Purpose Clay because it has less clay by volume than other options. All-Purpose Clay has more sand than clay, but can still provide a very stable and playable surface for pitcher’s mound and home plate areas. When these areas are moisture controlled, the home plate and pitcher's mound areas become much safer and a better playing surface for athletes.

For high school and college fields, Turface Professional Mound Clay is an excellent option. Because most high school and college teams have a tarp or spot cover, they are constantly keeping these surfaces moisture controlled. When these areas are moisture controlled, the clay for the pitcher’s mound and home plate will not become wet and slimy, and also will not crack or turn too hard by drying out.

Professional baseball teams often use the Pro's Choice Pro Mound Clay. Pro's Choice Pro Mound Clay appears to have the greatest "bonding" characteristics required for Major League Baseball. This "bonding" reduces the amount of breakdown and clay removal on the pitcher’s mound that can come from wear and tear, and therefore is a popular choice among professional baseball.

All these options are available at your local Ewing and can be found in our Sports Fields Equipment and Maintenance Products catalog. We offer clay for all levels of baseball and softball, from Little League and recreational leagues, all the way to the Major League. Whatever field you manage, Ewing can provide the right product for your needs. If you have questions, contact your Ewing sports field specialist or local store for help.