Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57
Spotswood High School Baseball Field 368 Blazer Drive Penn Laird, VA 22846
At The Foot of Massanutten
Nestled in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, the Rockingham County Baseball League is one of the oldest amateur baseball leagues in the country. Virginia's version of town ball was founded in 1924 and is currently celebrating its centennial season. The league's eight teams consist of a mix of current and former college players with ties to the area. Some of the latter have been playing in the league for years.
The Massanutten Mountaineers are the newest franchise in the RCBL, having joined in the 2024 season. They play their home games at Spotswood High School in Penn Laird, at the foot of Massanutten Mountain, which is visible behind home plate. In 2023, the RCBL Shockers played at Spotswood after relocating from New Market, where they had shared Rebel Park with the New Market Rebels of the Valley Baseball League for many years. However, officially the Mountaineers are a new franchise, not a continuation of the Shockers.
Food & Beverage 3
There is one concession stand at the stadium, located at a window behind home plate. Your only meal options are hamburgers for $3, cheeseburgers for $4, or hot dogs for $2. French fries cost $3, or you can add cheese for an extra dollar. Nachos are also $4. Assorted chips are available for a dollar, as is popcorn. Freeze pops cost 50 cents, and gum is five for a dollar. Candy is $2.50, and for some odd reason "candy" and "chocolate candy" are listed separately on the menu. Payment can be made through Venmo by scanning a QR code.
There may be special options available - when Stadium Journey visited, they were selling strawberry shortcakes but options may vary by night. To drink, assorted soda cans are $1.50, iced tea is $2.50, bottled water is $1.5, and Gatorade and Prime (a sports drink made popular by internet personalities) are $2.50.
Confusingly, there is a second menu, with different options (and different prices for the same options), visible at the back of the concession stand. This is the menu for Spotswood High School baseball games and is not used for Mountaineers games. Look at the menu that is taped to the window of the concession stand.
Atmosphere 2
There is a large set of bleachers at the Spotswood High School Baseball field, located up a hill from the field itself, and down the hill from the parking lot and concession stand. Unfortunately, there is no aisle to climb the bleachers, making getting up and down challenging. The bottom rows are partially obstructed by the wooden railing between the bleachers and the hill. Stone ledge seating is located at the top of the hill as well.
That being said, most fans bring their chairs and sit either on the ledges or elsewhere on the grass hill. This means the crowd will be quite spread out for a typical game. A scoreboard in right field shows only the most basic information.
The Rockingham County Baseball League is classic small-town ball, and Massanutten is no exception. There are few bells and whistles here, no between-innings contests on the field, just a nice community feel and a place to take in a baseball game in a scenic setting.
Like in the rest of the RCBL, fans are not permitted to keep foul balls hit out of play. However, they can return them to the concession stand for their choice of a baseball card or lollipop. You will invariably see kids chasing after the balls hoping to claim their prize.
Neighborhood 2
Spotswood High School is located in the shadow of Massanutten Mountain, which is home to the Massanutten Resort. In the winter, this is a popular ski area, but obviously, that will not be possible in the summer when the RCBL plays. Instead, you can find a water park, hotels, golf, and restaurants.
If you are not looking for the full resort experience, your best bet is to drive about 15 minutes to Harrisonburg. Here you will find many restaurants and hotels.
Fans 3
As the newest franchise in the RCBL (even if you count the Shockers playing at Spotswood in 2023), the Massanutten Mountaineers have not had years to build up a fan base like most of the other teams in the league. Furthermore, the fact that the crowd is so spread out due to the seating arrangements hurts the environment here.
That being said, the Mountaineers do draw a decent crowd most nights. As is typical of the RCBL, this is a real community feel, and since it's a small community, many of the fans personally know the players, coaches, and even the umpires. (So be nice when the umpire gets the call wrong - you could be sitting next to his family!) That being said, this is not just a friends and family crowd - a Mountaineers game turns out the whole community.
Access 2
Spotswood High School is located just off US Route 33, about 15 minutes east of Harrisonburg. The parking lot is right off the main road, simply turn in and you are there. You will then need to drive around back and to the left to the lot closest to the baseball field. If this fills up, there is other parking available in the school's main lot.
There are two single-person gender-neutral restrooms located behind the press box and concession stand, so you may have to wait a bit to use one. The players also use these restrooms, and can occasionally be seen walking up the hill to do so, talking to friends and family along the way.
As mentioned above, one major issue here is the tricky seating layout. The bleachers don't have an aisle to climb, meaning you're going to be stepping over the benches to get up there. It may be best to bring your seat if possible.
Return on Investment 5
Admission to Massanutten Mountaineers games is typically free, courtesy of a local business that will sponsor the game. On rare occasions, there may be a small charge for admission if there is no sponsor - check the Mountaineers' social media for details. Concessions are also affordable. This makes a Massanutten Mountaineers game an excellent value.
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Extras 1
One star here for the beautiful views of Massanutten Mountain behind home plate and the Blue Ridge Mountains beyond the outfield fence. The Rockingham County Baseball League has many stadiums with great views, but Massanutten may have the best, with mountains on three sides of the stadium, and Massanutten almost directly behind it providing an up-close view.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're a resident of Rockingham County, come from elsewhere in Virginia, or live further afield, if you are in the area, you will want to check out an RCBL game. The Massanutten Mountaineers, like the other seven teams in the league, represent small-town community baseball at its finest. Most seasoned baseball fans associate town ball with Minnesota, but it is alive and well here in Rockingham County, Virginia as well. With gorgeous mountain views and a real community feel, a Massanutten Mountaineers game is a great way to spend a warm summer night.
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