Pitt Field, home to the University of Richmond’s baseball team, has undergone multiple additions throughout the 2022 offseason, including a seating pavilion and a state-of-the-art batting and pitching practice facility.
Construction of the cages and extra seating began in February 2022 and the players can access them in early January 2023.
The new seating includes a terrace located in the right field that will allow fans to bring their own lawn chairs or use the benches provided to watch the games, according to the UR athletics website.
This new seating plaza will help bring spectators sitting in the right field out of lot C61 and into a designated seating area, according to UR baseball head coach Tracy Woodson.
“It just makes it look so much nicer and cleaner out there,” Woodson said.
Graduate pitcher Brenden Argomaniz is also excited about the traction the new seating will bring to the team.
“I think it’ll make it a lot easier for people who are driving by to make a last-minute decision to come to the game for a few innings,” Argomaniz said.
Bridgette Robles, assistant director of athletics public relations, added to the excitement Woodson and Argomaniz shared about the new additions.
“We’ve had a few alums recently stop by practices, while they are in town for business, to check out the ‘old stomping grounds.’” Robles wrote in an email. “Everyone is super excited and very supportive of the Spider Baseball’s new indoor facility and the outfield seating area at Pitt Field.”
The new building has two full batting cages for hitters, as well as pitching mounds, Woodson said.
Prior to the addition of this on-campus indoor facility, the players had to drive 20 minutes to an off-campus practice facility, Argomaniz said. This commute required the players to plan their practice times and acquire transportation which became difficult, he added.
“We have a pretty unique class schedule,” Argomaniz said. “We’re not usually able to all be at the field at the same time because everybody has class at different times. The ability for our [players] to be able to go into the facility whenever they want… is really pivotal for us.”
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The new additions to Pitt Field are part of a larger plan to revamp the baseball field, Woodson said.
Woodson hopes a stadium will be next, he said.
The UR baseball team begins its season against the University of Alabama at the Sewell-Thomas Stadium at 4 p.m. Feb. 17.
Contact sports writer Lucia Helmers at lucia.helmers@richmond.edu.
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