KARNS CITY — One of the Karns City United Athletic Association (UAA) baseball fields was in need of help.

And the Pittsburgh Pirates responded.

The UAA board recently received a $5,000 grant from the Pirates Charities' “Fields for Kids” program to help transform the UAA's Gold field to a baseball and softball facility.

“UAA recently absorbed youth softball in Karns City,” board vice president Troy Zediker said. “We're all under the same umbrella now.

“The girls softball needed another field to play on. We have five fields at the facility and they're all named after Karns City High School colors. We decided to remove the grass from the infield of the Gold field and put in a removable mound so baseball and softball players ages 7-12 can use it on a daily basis.”

The UAA complex houses approximate 250 youth ballplayers, boys and girls.

Its board decided to apply for a grant from Pirates Charities to help the project along.

“Our treasurer completed the formal application on-line,” Zediker said. “We were hopeful. We had our fingers crossed the money would come through, but we didn't rely on it.

“But it has definitely helped the process.”

The transformation of the field is already under way as the money has been received from the Pirates.

“We try to accommodate all of the requests we receive,” said Terry Rodgers, the Pirates Manager of Business Communications. “We can't honor every request, but we do send grants to most of them.

“The organizations have to be non-profit and the grant must be matched by each organization either through funding or volunteer work.”

Zediker said the UAA fields are kept going through funding and donations.

“It's volunteer work, parents, board members, local business owners who donate equipment to help complete work,” he said.

“My dad was one of the founders of this complex. He coached my brother and I on these fields. I feel privileged to be able to pass that on and coach my son here. Facilities like this keep young kids playing outside sports.”

Pirates Charities' “Field for Kids” program has existed since 2009. It has produced 364 grants in the Pittsburgh region since, along with 45 grants in Bradenton, Fla., the Pirates' spring training home.

Rodgers said the program gave out 39 grants this year and 73 over the past two years. The 39 grants this year total nearly $200,000.

“Most of the requests we receive are for field maintenance, fencing, dugout steps, sod, things like that,” he said. “The idea of the program is to facilitate youth baseball in the region.”

The UAA board and players are grateful for the grant.

“It's a great thing, what the Pirates are doing here,” Zediker said. “Youth fields like this ... This is where it all begins for baseball.

“Major leaguers started playing baseball at places like ours.”