Nischwitz Stadium - Wright State Raiders
- Marc Viquez
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Nischwitz Stadium Raider Road Fairborn, OH 45324
Year Opened: 2000
Capacity: 750
Cozy Confinds of Wright State's Nischwitz Stadium
Nischwitz Stadium is the home of the Wright State Raiders baseball team, located in Fairborn, Ohio, outside of Dayton. The team had been playing on site since 1993, but dedicated the ballpark on April 12, 2000. The facility is named for Ron Nischwitz, who coached the Raiders for 30 years, and for his son, Gregg, who played for WSU for one season before losing his life in a construction accident in 1980.
The ballpark offers 560 chair-back seating, an open concourse, a concession stand, locker rooms, and standing-room-only sections. There is also a FieldTurf playing surface, lights, heated dugouts, and a large press box.
The program began play in 1971 and was a Division II program until 1988. Since making the move, the Raiders have been conference champions 14 times. They did make a Division II College World Series appearance in 1987. The team has been a member of the Horizon League since 2002.
Food & Beverage 2
The stadium features a small concession stand that is behind the main seating area on the first base side. The selection includes hot dogs, popcorn, chips, candy, and soda. On the main concourse, a beer stand offers cans of Bud Light, Yuengling, Miller Light, and Coors Light. One more stands down the first base side and sells cookies.
Atmosphere 3
The ballpark is small and cozy, but it offers quite a bit of area to move around during the game. This is a stadium designed for the baseball purist in mind. A small trail through trees leads fans to the entrance, and a few steps lead them to the main concourse. There are tents set up for additional concession sales or fraternities/sororities events.
There are 5 rows of hunter green seats that are all chair-backs. They are comfortable, and many are angled towards the backstop. A large protective net has recently been installed; the best views are at the end of the right and left field lines, where there is no netting. A simple electronic scoreboard that can display the names of the colleges is behind the right field fence.
The outfield walls display retired numbers and conference championships, while in the background, motorists on the skyway zip by uneventfully to a ballgame being played. There is also a poster at the entrance listing the number of players with MLB experience. One added feature is a grassy area behind the left field concourse. It is accessible for younger fans who may want to chase down a foul ball and return it to the concession stand for a prize.
Neighborhood 3
Nishchwitz Stadium is on campus and shares the same parking lot as the basketball arena, the Nutter Center. Two miles south of the ballpark is The Mall at Fairfield Commons, where there are shopping, restaurant, and lodging facilities. Regional and national chains are what you will find here, but if you're with the family, it could be the best option when visiting with the family.
Red Robin, Chuy’s Tex-Mex, Golden Corral, and Dave’s Hot Chicken are a few options. The mall also houses a Round1 Bowling & Arcade. If you are looking for a drink, BJ’s Brewhouse and Black Rock Bar & Grill would be an option.
If you desire a few more baseball games, the University of Dayton’s Woerner Field is a short drive, along with Day Air Ballpark, which is home to the Dayton Dragons minor league team. Still, the Wittenberg University baseball team plays at Carleton Davidson Stadium, which is also home to the Champion City Half-Trax of the Prospect League.
Yellow Springs is a quaint town friendly to artists and small businesses. It’s a nice place for families and is only a 20-minute drive west of Fairborn. Dayton offers the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There is also the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park, which houses the infamous Wright Flyer III, which lifted off in 1905 courtesy of the Wright Brothers.
Fans 3
The fanbase is not your typical crowd of friends and family. Many die-hards are rooting for the Raiders, along with visiting fans. The crowd makes their objections felt when appropriate, and many cheer when runs are scored, or when a big play is made to end an inning. You will see many fans standing along the concourse with friends, while children run around or check out the game.
Access 4
The stadium is easy to get around in. It's a giant concourse with five rows of seats. The concession stand and bathrooms are located down the steps near the entrance, and there is plenty of parking adjacent to the ballpark.
Return on Investment 4
An adult ticket is $7, and food prices are even lower. A hot dog is $3, a can of Pepsi is $2, and a tall can of beer is $7. The highest concession item is the classic $3 ballpark nacho. The team does not sell merchandise at the game.
Extras 2
The ballpark earns a point for having all chair-back seats, with many of them behind the backstop tilted towards the field. A second point is for the conference championship plaques engraved into the stadium’s brick walls.
Final Thoughts
The ballpark is designed to add comfort in style and a cozy feel for all fans to enter the game. It is not your typical college game; we're only friends and family can be her cheering from the stands. It's a nice, well-built ballpark that serves a nice purpose for this level of baseball.
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