3and2 Baseball Club chooses Portolite mounds for rigorous game schedule

Neil Rutkowski

For Neil Rutkowski, 3and2 Baseball Club is home. He grew up playing baseball at 3and2. He worked at the club too – on the grounds crew and in concessions. Anything to be around the game. He now serves as director of baseball operations, managing all baseball functions.

Rutkowski oversees the operations of leagues, tournaments, camps and clinics for T-ball through high school players. When it all adds up, that's around 650 league teams and about 2,500 tournament teams annually. 3and2 also partners with two school districts in the Lenexa/Shawnee, Kansas area --- located in the suburbs of Kansas City -- to host spring 5A and 6A level high school baseball and softball.
Overseeing baseball operations across 27 diamonds on two properties has made Rutkowski a self-proclaimed "mound geek."

"I know the mounds out there," said Rutkowski. "I put them all to the test at our parks over the years, and Portolite is a clear market leader when it comes to durability and agility. Portolite stands up to time and the elements."

According to Rutkowski, the mobility of Portolite's 6" One-Piece Game Mound has been crucial, as 9-12 years is a critical age group at his facility.

"We play multiple age groups on our fields," said Rutkowski. "That means we're constantly moving mounds to meet the ages of players on the field. Portolite is lightweight, making that a quick, one-person job."

Rutkowski said players have become accustomed to playing on portable mounds and love Portolite as much as he does.

3and2 traditionally had dirt mounds on all its kid pitch fields, but Rutkowski said today’s players have become accustomed to playing on portable mounds and love Portolite mound systems because they provide a consistent and sturdy pitching platform to promote strike throwing. “Throwing strikes is hard enough for young pitchers. They should be focused on their mechanics not worrying about the pitching mound in any way,” he said.

"Our perspective at 3and2 is we're really in the business of making memories for kids," said Rutkowski. "We just happen to do it through baseball and use that as our constant bearing point. That is why 3and2 is so invested in Portolite mounds. Our players deserve the best. The mound is as an essential piece of equipment as anything on the field or on the player.”

Portolite Pitching Mound’s 10-year limited warranty says it all. Portolite has set the standard in lightweight, durable and portable pitching mounds since 1992.