College Baseball Fans the Big Winner Tonight
April 10, 2015 10:51 PM | General
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| A standing room only crowd of 3,110 watched tonight's opening game at brand new Monongalia County Ballpark. | |
| All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo |
Area college baseball fans are big winners, too.
That’s because Mountaineer baseball has just moved up a couple of rungs on the perception ladder. The brand new Monongalia County Ballpark is everything it was billed to be, and so much more.
Yes, Morgantown, West Virginia finally has a big-time venue to match the big-time baseball conference the Mountaineers are now playing in.
“This is a new chapter in WVU baseball,” said WVU of Director of Athletics Shane Lyons. “This takes us to the next step to competing for Big 12 and national championships, and we’re excited about that.”
From highlights running on the video board during pre-game warm-ups to the music piped in (very loudly) on the public address system to the in-game promotions and entertainment to the overflow crowd that came out here tonight to take it all in (officially announced at 3,110) … these were the things that we were told would happen when this place was built.
Well, now they are happening.
“I’ve heard this before, ‘If you build it they will come.’ Well, they built it and here you are,” said WVU coach Randy Mazey during tonight’s pregame ceremony.
It’s hard to imagine anyone leaving here disappointed. The atmosphere is great, the accommodations are great, the refreshments are great; shoot, there are even enough restrooms to make those necessary pit stops expeditious and more tolerable.
If you are a little short on cash there are ATMs on-site to get your wallet right.
If the battery on your cell phone is running low there are charging stations on the concourse to take care of that.
If you are waiting in line for your favorite adult beverage there are plenty of TV monitors to help you keep up with the action.
If you want to spread out with the rest of the family down the base lines, you will be able to do that later this spring when the grass fills in.
If you want to get out of your seat and take a little stroll around the concourse, there’s plenty of room to do that, too.
If you are lucky enough to be upstairs in one of the suites, there is a full-service pantry to take care of your culinary needs.
If the wife texts you to bring home a gallon of milk, you can just stop off at the University Town Centre and take care of that on your way back.
There was even a four-star general here to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. How many of those have you seen walking around here?
And what about that view?
It might be the best in all of college baseball.
I can remember going to some of the different big-time college ballparks around the country when I used to work with the baseball program in the early-to-late 1990s, and I always wondered what having a first-class facility could do for Mountaineer baseball.
Now we’re going to find out.
Sure, this place is still a work in progress. The parking lots are under construction. The batter’s eye hasn’t arrived. The clubhouse and team offices won’t be done until later this spring and there are other finishing touches that need to be completed.
The eateries, the hotels and other development surrounding the ballpark are also still in the planning stages.
But what the fans (and recruits) saw here tonight puts Mountaineer baseball light years beyond what we were used to seeing in the past.
Plus, our athletic department college baseball connoisseur Mike Montoro, in his spare time the executive assistant director of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, has been to hundreds of venues through the years and he gives this place a very big thumbs-up.
That’s good enough for me.
My hat is off to everyone who made this possible.
West Virginia baseball now has a big-time home to call it’s own – a home Mountaineer fans everywhere can be immensely proud of.
Yes, indeed, it’s a great night to be a Mountaineer wherever you may be!
Gold-Blue Spring Festival Fan Recap
Sunday, April 19
John Neider | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Zac Alley | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 18
Saturday, April 18
