Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86
Adams State Baseball Field 600-698 Stadium Dr Alamosa, CO 81101
Year Opened: 2013
Capacity: 400
Between San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Located in the southern part of the state, Alamosa, CO sits in the picturesque San Luis Valley between the dramatic San Juan Mountains to the west and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east. Adams State University makes its home in downtown Alamosa with beautiful buildings and tree lined walkways.
After a thirty year hiatus, the Adams State Grizzlies baseball team began play in their newly constructed (2013) Adams State Baseball Field adjacent to the lacrosse/soccer and softball fields. The Grizzlies baseball team play in the RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference), a Div II NCAA member.
The team made it to the RMAC tournament in 2015 but has not seen a whole lot of success in its short existence.
If weather holds out and it’s a nice warm weekend afternoon, watching a Grizzlies baseball game is enjoyable.
Not baseball related but if the Adams State University name sounds familiar… in recent news (April, 2017) Adams State signed the first female football player to a scholarship at the Div II level.
Food & Beverage 2
Freshly grilled burgers ($2), hot dogs ($1) and hot links ($2) are the main choices for food at a Grizzlies game and they sure look delicious. Bundle one of those with chips and a drink (water/soda) for a total of $3 and an extremely affordable lunch can be had at the ballpark. Candy is available for a $1.
Atmosphere 3
Adams State University Baseball Field is more or less a typical RMAC Div II ball field where the entertainment is the game.
Seating consists of three rows of green fold-down stadium seats in front of the press box behind home plate, seven rows of elevated metal bleachers on the third base side and five rows of metal bleachers on the first base side. No handrails are available for the bleacher seating. Some fans bring lawn chairs and park themselves under the third base bleachers. A gorgeous view of snow capped Blanca Peak Mountain can be seen from the third base side.
A net surrounds the entire infield area. The field consists of synthetic grass and dirt. The home side is third base while visitors are on the first base side. The bullpens are not on the field and are beyond the end of both baselines.
Some fans back their pickup trucks up, fold down the tailgate and watch the game from beyond the left field wall.
No lights are at the field, so only day games are played here. Several daytime doubleheaders occur throughout the season.
The scoreboard resides in left field and has the basic line score: runs, hits, errors, balls, strikes, outs, and the player number at bat.
Music is played during the call of the starting lineups and over other announcements made throughout the game (a pet peeve of mine); the Grizzlies have walk up songs which are not played too loud.
Neighborhood 4
Downtown Alamosa and where the university resides is a small, walkable town with many things just a few miles distance. Be sure to stop by the Visitor’s Center located in the historic Alamosa Train Depot on State Ave and 6th St. They treat visitors remarkably well.
One of the biggest draws to the area are the Great Sand Dunes located about 30 min from Alamosa. Another attraction is the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad excursion train but those don’t start until after the end of the college baseball season.
The Rio Grande River runs just behind the outfield wall of the ball field and plenty of hiking and riding trails are available in the area.
In town is the San Luis Valley Museum or see a show at the Creede Repertory Theatre or the Adams State University Xperimental Theatre.
For places to eat, I’d recommend the San Luis Brewing Company, a brewpub with small batch brews and a full menu located right downtown. Several hotels are nearby including the Best Western Alamosa Inn, Grizzly Inn Motel, and the Valley Motel.
Fans 3
Fans are mostly friends, family and alumni. More students showed at the game of this review than other RMAC baseball fields I’ve attended. The biggest and loudest fan base are the players themselves.
Access 3
Alamosa is about almost a four hour drive southwest from Denver, CO and about a three and a half hour drive north of Albuquerque, NM.
A small regional airport offers minimal flights to Denver or Albuquerque. I did not notice any public transportation in the city.
Once getting to the ball field, parking is on the street in the neighborhood, though that area can be foul ball targets. A safer choice is to park at the domed high altitude indoor practice training center at the corner of Sunset Dr and Stadium Dr and walk a short block to the field.
The entry area is a hard dirt surface which may cause fans in wheelchairs some extra work. Fans using wheelchairs or walkers should sit in front of the press box as that is paved and has space, though I did not notice any specific section for handicapped seating.
Return on Investment 4
All seats are general admission (sit where you want) and there is no charge for attending a ball game at ASU Baseball Field. Concessions are extremely reasonable and there’s no fee for parking. The ball team has had its struggles this 2017 season but even so, if it’s a warmer weekend, taking in a game (or two) is a great way to pass an afternoon.
Extras 1
A roster sheet is available which includes not only the players’ names but also an almost up-to-date stat sheet of the players from both teams.
Final Thoughts
Even if you don’t get to a baseball game, Alamosa and the San Luis Valley are tremendous places to visit, especially for outdoor activities. Getting to see a game is just an added bonus if a fan of baseball.
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