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/ Treasa Ní Chonchúir

A baseball field viewed from behind home plate. It’s early evening, just about the golden hour. The field is mostly still in sun, though right field and first base line are in shadow. The fielding team’s uniforms are red, while the batting team’s are white.
Raimondi Park

Take Me Out to the Ball(ers) Game…

On Friday Eryn, jessimuhka, danoftomorrow, and I went to an Oakland Ballers game. This is their first season—they’re the Pioneer League’s first team on the West Coast. Going into the game—the fourth of a six-game home stand against the Idaho Falls Chukars—the Ballers were on the top of the (second half-season) standings and had won 9 of their last 10 games.

Raimondi Park, Oakland, CA
Team 123 456 789 RHE
Idaho Falls 000 000 000 031
Oakland 002 200 00X 490

They won handily, beating the Chukars 4–0 (see the box score). The Ballers’ starting pitcher, Luke Short, struck out 13 and allowed only two hits in seven innings of work.

We sat right behind home plate, and the netting only does so much in such a small park. Dan did an admirable job staying calm amid all the fly balls that came our way.

Eryn and me sitting next to each other at a baseball game. We’re both smiling at the camera. Eryn is wearing a pink Oberlin hoodie and blue glasses. I have a Hanshin Tigers jersey on, with an Oakland Ballers cap. The seats in the stands are green.
I bought a cap.

Like most minor league teams, the in-stadium experience is very family friendly. There were a bunch of kids and lots of ways the team engaged them. Also, it was Teacher Appreciation Night at the ballpark, which was great. 😃 If you want to know what it’s like to go to a Ballers game, check out this YouTube video:

The Ballers play at the recently renovated Raimondi Park in West Oakland, a fifteen or twenty minute walk from BART. It was super easy to get there from 24th Street Mission—Yellow & brown, burritos abound! And it turns out they run a free shuttle service between BART and the park!

Unfortunately, the Ballers will be all that’s left of professional baseball in Oakland once the A’s leave.

They clinched a spot in the playoffs, and were second half champions!

After forcing a Game 3 in the first round, they fell to the Yolo High Wheelers. What a great inaugural season! I, for one, can’t wait for next year.