Every summer night, the Cape League's best college players sprint, slide and dive across 10 diamonds from Wareham to Chatham.

By first pitch, each field looks pristine, but behind every perfectly groomed infield and two-inch-cut Bermuda grass outfield are the grounds crews who spend countless hours battling rain, wind and the demanding summer schedule to keep the league's 40-game season on track.

At Whitehouse Field in Harwich, Marc "T-Bo" Thibeault has been caring for the field for nearly two decades, balancing his responsibilities as an assistant coach with making sure every inch of dirt and grass is ready before first pitch.

“The field reflects your program. You want to keep it in the best possible playing shape so the players can perform and do what they need to do every day,” Thibeault said.

As an assistant coach for the Harwich Mariners, Thibeault has spent countless hours on the field, balancing the responsibilities of preparing his team with the daily work of making Whitehouse Field the best playing surface possible.

Thibeault has been coaching in Harwich for 19 seasons. When it comes to field preparation, T-Bo is as experienced as they come. He has spent years on the field coaching and years wielding a rake and tarp, keeping those same fields in check.

With many players arriving from the College World Series and heading straight back to school for fall ball, there is little margin for error or postponed games during the action-packed summer.

“Coaches look at the weather in terms of whether we're going to be able to play,” Thibeault said. “I'm looking at it thinking, are we watering more? Watering less? You have to think about that before the game starts and once it's over.”

This summer has been unusually wet and windy across the Cape. With games constantly threatened by rain delays, it is up to the field crews to keep the diamonds in playing condition for the packed summer schedule.

The Mariners played several doubleheaders to make up for games postponed by the weather, making field maintenance even more important.

“If we see rain coming, we'll do a couple extra things. We'll make sure it's mowed, leveled and ready to go just to make sure we get the game in,” Thibeault said. “I tell Steve [Englert] whenever it rains, if the rain stops by 2:30 or 3:00, I'll make sure we're able to play."

Harwich plays an aggressive style of baseball, leading the league in steals and doubles. Manager Steve Englert likes to put the ball in play and force the defense to make plays. Thibeault knows he can play a role in that success by keeping Whitehouse Field in prime playing condition.

“Sometimes when we do water, some guys might like a little more moisture in front of them. Some guys might like a little less. For the most part, not really, but when we do have that, we're going to try to accommodate,” Thibeault said.

While the Mariners battle the elements, one division rival faces another challenge.

The Chatham Anglers' Veterans Field sits on the elbow of Cape Cod, where the Atlantic Ocean breeze regularly rolls in to create foggy nights and ever-changing conditions. The same fog that often blankets Veterans Field creates a new challenge for the Chatham grounds crew.

Mateo Martinez and Robbie Grenier lead the effort to keep Veterans Field game-ready despite the unpredictable coastal weather.

“As long as you keep the forecast in your direct view, we can prepare for it,” Grenier said.

After every game, the grounds crew is joined by players who have already spent nine innings on the field.

“Angel Cervantes has been really good,” Martinez said. “Oliver Pudvar is always there when we need help as well.”

Cervantes and Pudvar have been key contributors on the mound for the playoff-bound Anglers while also helping maintain the very field they pitch on.

For many players, it is the first time they've worked on a baseball field since high school, making it one of the more unique aspects of playing in the Cape League.

The condition of every field becomes part of each organization's identity, reflecting countless hours of mowing, watering, dragging and repairing after every game.

“It means a lot whenever another team comes here because we try to have the best field in the league. The Anglers put a lot of money into it. They got the field leveled and the grass re-sodded, so we don't want that money to go to waste. We want to do our best to make sure the field looks good. It's a representation of what this organization means,” Martinez said.

The atmosphere surrounding a Cape League baseball field is full of energy, from diving catches and stolen bases to walk-off celebrations. Behind each one is a grounds crew making sure the next night's game can happen.

As was the case with the final week of the regular season, which saw multiple rainy days, without the field crews, the Cape League's nightly summer tradition simply wouldn't be possible.