PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — Parents, coaches and young athletes are raising concerns over what they say is a shortage of softball fields in Port St. Lucie, arguing the lack of access is putting girls at a disadvantage compared to boys’ sports.

For families like Joshua Niemann’s, softball is more than just a game. His daughter, Lilly, has played fast-pitch softball since she was nine years old, and he believes the sport could open doors to college scholarships.

“This is something that could advance into a college scholarship,” Niemann said. “And without the fields, how do the girls get their shake?”

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But securing a place to practice has become increasingly difficult. Niemann says many available fields are regularly occupied by men’s baseball leagues, leaving girls’ fast-pitch teams scrambling for space.

After reviewing city spending on sports facilities, Niemann says the imbalance is clear.

“Over the past 10 years, 90% of those capital projects were dedicated toward boys and men’s slow-pitch versus girls’ fast-pitch softball,” he said.

According to the City of Port St. Lucie, there are currently three football fields, seven baseball game fields and five multipurpose fields that could host softball. However, the city does not have any fields dedicated specifically to fast-pitch softball.

As a result, teams are often forced to practice on grassy football fields or rent batting cages just to stay prepared for tournaments.

Players say those conditions have led to injuries and have made it harder to compete.

“I’ve actually injured my knee doing that,” said Amiya, a player on the Florida Stars Fast Pitch 12U team who normally dives. “I had to wear a knee compression because I hurt my knee diving on the grass.”

Lilly, who is a pitcher, says limited practice space puts players at a disadvantage on game day.

“If you don’t have a place to pitch before a tournament, you really struggle,” she said. “You’re unready.”

Coach Daniel Traver, who helps lead the team, says finding fields for practice has become one of his toughest responsibilities. He says baseball leagues often rent fields months in advance, leaving softball teams with few options.

“They need a dedicated park like Sportsman or Whispering Pines,” Daniel said. “They have dedicated parks. We need that, and we don’t have that right now.”

Parents and coaches say until the city invests in dedicated softball facilities, girls’ fast-pitch teams will continue fighting for space — and for equal opportunity to develop their skills.

The City of Port St. Lucie says multipurpose fields are available by reservation on a first-come, first-served basis, but families argue that system isn’t enough to meet the growing demand for girls’ softball.