MARBLEHEAD — A nonprofit group has raised nearly $300,000 in pledges toward its goal of $1.3 million to install an artificial turf field at Marblehead High School.

Steve Maxwell, who helped create the Marblehead All-Sports Foundation, thinks the time has come to replace the grass at Piper Field. Built on ledge and rock over 10 years ago, the grass field has poor drainage, leaving large pools of water along sidelines and on the field itself after it rains. It is used about 160 hours a year for football, lacrosse, and soccer games and needs days to recover after being used, said Mark Tarmey, Marblehead athletic director.