Major league hitters can fail two out of every three times they step to home plate – and still successfully punch their tickets to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Architects, alas, don’t have that luxury. As the clock tick-tocked down to Opening Day March 30, Susan Klumpp knew she’d have to swat several homers, go deep in the hole at shortstop and turn a few unassisted triple plays so the Washington Nationals’ spanking new baseball stadium was ready for the umpire’s inaugural springtime “Play Ball!” call.

With a spare $311 million budget and a tighter-than-Spandex timeline, project manager Klumpp has engineered an effort to introduce the first-ever green stadium to Major League Baseball.

“I figured this would be a once-in-a-lifetime activity,” the DC resident says about her efforts with Nationals management and the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission to gain a sustainability rating from the US Green Building Council. “It’s wonderful to see something this complex unfold.”

Within the next few months, she’ll learn which green ranking the DC-based council assigns to the 41,000-seat ballpark. Architectural firms HOK Sport and Devrouax & Purnell collaborated with design-build contractor Clark/Hunt/Smoot on the entire project, which had a $611 million price cap. Klumpp, certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards, operates out of HOK’s Georgetown office.

For two years, a swarm of specialists has cranked almost 24/7 to transform a 25-acre brownfield plot that once housed a trash transfer station, seedy nightclubs and bus parking lots into a baseball haven. It’s the city’s ambitious salute to the banks of the poor cousin to the mighty and renowned Potomac River – the fouled, dumped-on and long-disrespected Anacostia.

“The ballpark is supposed to be the crown jewel catalyst of redevelopment,” Klumpp, an architect for 22 years, says about the 1.1 million-square-foot structure. “Everybody is consciously aware of not adding to the woes that river already has.”

So how does one craft a green stadium? Most of it involves meticulously balancing a complex matrix that minimizes runoff, wattage, emissions and waste, and maximizes public transportation, recycling and non-virgin construction materials.

“The envelope of the building is more energy-efficient,” Klumpp says, pointing out features such as insulation, waste-heat recovery and a roof overhang providing shade.

“These stadiums are huge, and they use a lot of resources.”

A sweeping undertaking required replacing a maze of outdated underground pipes with separate stormwater and sanitary sewer systems. Massive sand filters keep stadium-cleansing detergents and other hazards scooped up by rainwater out of the river. High-tech screens are designed to filter out peanut shells and other organic debris. In addition, low-flow plumbing fixtures on all toilets and sinks save 3.6 million gallons of water annually.

Looking up, light-colored membranes reduce the “heat-island” effect of the stadium’s covered sections. Water-and toxics-absorbing, drought-tolerant succulents called sedum are sprouting from 3 inches of specially mixed soil on 5,820 square feet of “green roof” above the outfield concessions stands. As well, a triangular wedge in the centerfield bleachers – devoid of seats so as not to be a distraction to batters – is planted with grasses instead of paved with concrete.

On the recycling front, four 34-yard compacting Dumpsters will field a torrent of plastic beer and soda bottles, and metals, glass and cardboard. And not only will tons of on-site construction leftovers be recycled, but at least 10 percent of the steel, rebar, concrete and other building materials is recyclable and locally purchased.

Paints, sealants, carpets, flooring and adhesives are low in toxics, and refrigerants in the heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems reduce or eliminate emissions contributing to ozone depletion and global warming.

High-efficiency field lighting will please the Dark Sky Society by conserving 300 kilowatts of power annually and ensuring that the stadium not outshine its more powerful neighbor – the US Capitol.

Land next to the ballpark, already train and bus accessible, is planted with DC’s signature, albeit non-native, cherry blossom trees. Areas in and near adjacent parking garages include bicycle racks and designated spaces for carpoolers and hybrid vehicles.

“We’re showing that building sustainably is not cost-prohibitive,” says Klumpp, who hopes this project will influence other professional sports stadiums. “The tricky part is doing as much as you can within a budget and not a penny more.”

Lack of money sliced away initial plans to use pervious pavers that allow rainwater to be stored below ground then slowly released into the soil. And Klumpp was prepared to ditch the green roof – until the Chesapeake Bay Foundation pinch-hit with a financial donation.

Fans will be able to read about these environmental efforts on signs posted throughout the ballpark. And Klumpp suspects the Nationals will continue to carry her green torch – uniforms could be laundered with low-impact detergents, and power might be purchased from renewable sources such as solar and wind.

Of course, the Nats’ graduation to an environmentally friendly stadium doesn’t assure a World Series victory or even a National League pennant. That’s up to motivated players, manager Manny Acta and team owners, the Lerner family.