SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Money might not buy happiness, but it sure can make life more enjoyable.

That's a lesson not lost on the members of the University of Rhode Island baseball team these days. The Rams, who already have had a big season -- they have victories over three nationally ranked teams -- are about to have even more fun.

They are getting to play their first home game of the season this weekend against Dayton, a team that comes in as the Atlantic 10 leader at 6-0, two games ahead of the Rams. The two teams are scheduled to play at 3 o'clock Friday, 1 o'clock Saturday and noon Sunday.

The Flyers can be forgiven if they do not recognize Beck Field, the Rams' home. Even the Rhody players have trouble recognizing it.

The field has been totally redone since last season, complete with a new artificial surface, FieldTurf, the same surface the Patriots have at Gillette Stadium and that the major-league teams in Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Toronto employ.

There is new fencing, new protection for the dugouts, just about new everything, including an impressive Rhody Ram logo behind home plate.

How is this possible at a time when just about everyone else is cutting back?

It has all been done thanks to an anonymous $1-million donation. Well, it started out as $1 million. When plans were drawn and discussions held on how to go about the project, the donor was told that it would cost more to do everything the team hoped. So he gave more money.

"Later on, he gave us another $400,000, so it ended up being $1.4 million," relates URI coach Jim Foster.

"We're so pumped about the field and everything that's gone on," said North Kingstown's Ollie Palmer, the Rhody second baseman. "We can't wait to play on it."

The new field is the result of one of the largest donations ever made to URI athletics, and certainly the largest anonymous donation ever. It came about through the normal fund-raising work done by Foster. A Providence College grad and 10-year pro, Foster arrived at URI in 2006, taking over for Frank Leoni, who had built up a program that not so long ago was going to be disbanded.

"One of the main focuses since I've been here has been building the infrastructure. We've been doing a good job winning games and getting good kids, but that's only part of the equation. If you really want to build a strong program, you have to have facilities,'' Foster said.

"We're so far behind from a facilities standpoint," he continued. "I pretty much came up with a wish list of what we needed. I started talking to people who love baseball, friends, people who have been following the program. They know how passionate I am about it. I'm trying to run it professionally. After playing so many years of pro ball and having the opportunity to see the big picture and what it's like, I feel I know what we need."

When Foster went to this one booster, he got more than he dreamed.

"It's someone I know, who really likes what we're doing here and obviously is very well off," Foster said. "We talk about the program all the time. We're trying to do some big things up here. He just said, 'Coach, what do you need?' I said, 'Well, I need a lot.'"

The donor gave a million dollars. His only request was that no one know who he is, at least for now.

"Eventually it will come out and he will be known," Foster said. "Just not now."

The field, which looks spectacular, is the first part. Foster spoke with numerous coaches around the country seeking input on the best surface, and FieldTurf was highly recommended.

"This surface is like natural grass," Foster explained. "With the old turf, you'd slide on it and get rug burns. Guys would play for four days in a row and need some rest. It was jarring on the body. This is like natural grass. It's easier on your body. It's got cushion. There's not much upkeep, except for around the home-plate area.

It is hoped that the team will soon be able to build what Foster calls a hitting barn--an indoor batting cage with three hitters' areas. Plans for the cage, which will be behind the home dugout, hang on the wall in Foster's office.

Among other plans, URI hopes to create a berm in the outfield, similar to the one at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, to allow fans to watch from that point of view if they wish. More traditional stadium seating also is in the plans. Even the huge donation will not be able to pay for everything. More fund-raising is still being done.

That's the case in just about every department at the school. In most places, the efforts are to get enough money for basic needs. The baseball team is lucky to have an anonymous donation allow it to go well beyond that.

"I'm very excited. We feel very fortunate,'' Foster said.

pkenyon@projo.com