Texas removes parts of damaged batter's eye at UFCU Disch-Falk Field ahead of Kansas game

Hitting a home run over the wall in centerfield at UFCU Disch-Falk Field has become less of a tall task.

Inclement weather and wind at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Thursday afternoon caused the top of the batter's eye in centerfield to collapse. After Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte tweeted that an impromptu construction project might cause a slight delay to the start of UT's home game against Kansas, workers removed the last of the damaged panels around 6 p.m.

Del Conte said that he was not sure if the batter's eye would be restored by the end of this weekend. The Longhorns' home finale for the 2024 season is set for Saturday.

For much of its history, the wall in straightaway centerfield stood 20 feet tall. Before the 2021 season, the wall was raised to 28 feet as UT looked for a way to block out batters' view of the softball facility beyond centerfield. That extended portion of the batter's eye was what collapsed on Thursday.

Before 2021, a baseball had to be hit over the 20-foot batter's eye to be considered a home run. A baseball now just has to strike the batter's eye to secure a trip around the bases. Former Texas slugger Ivan Melendez, however, hit six homers over the 28-foot wall during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.