2013 Baseball Trip-Game 7: Creeping into Hickory
Hickory Crawdads vs. West Virginia Power (South Atlantic League)
L.P. Frans Stadium–Hickory, NC: The fifth day of our trip was pretty busy also. We spent the morning and afternoon visiting some Civil War battle fields, and I was in heaven at the Under Armour outlet store. We then started the long road back west toward Hickory. We pulled into L.P. Frans Stadium ready for some baseball, though. There seemed to be another small crowd, but there were a few buses that arrived to fill the seats. Our seats were front row, right behind home plate. It’s a given you’ll have to deal with some netting with these seats, but the netting just seemed to keep going and going. I don’t think there were many seats at all with a clear view. Not sure if this is just the team teams in the Carolinas that love the net, or the SALly league. Hickory seemed to be a team that is community based, and the fans all seemed to know each other for the most part. Again, I’m sure with a bigger crowd the atmosphere would greatly improve. They did have a nice play area for the kids and a carousel, also. The Crawdads do host a nice game, and this was a good addition to our trip.
The game gave us a victory for the home team, but not much offense for either team. Center fielder Lewis Brinston led the ‘Dads going 2-3 with a double. On the mound, C.J. Edwards earned the win going over five innings. Final score: Crawdads 2, Power 1.
Chillin’ in the bullpen…
Photos property of Minoring In Baseball
Minoring In Baseball 
You’re living my dream trip. Fantastic. Thank you for sharing the experience. 🙂
Thank you, Shannon! I’m glad someone is enjoy these pics!
-Mike
I am ashamed at the lack of minor league stadiums I’ve been to, and this trip that you took is reinforcing that. I don’t know when, but I’ll have to build in some easy minor league parks into my schedule one of these years.
-Mateo
http://mateofischer.mlblogs.com
Well, it’s tough if you’re still in Minny, because they don’t have any minor league teams in that state. I’d love to make to a St. Paul Saints game, though, as they’re one of the best Indy teams in the country!
-Mike
I’d love to too, but there are only like a combined four games that I can possibly go to during the school year itself. I’m really mad at myself for not going the one game that I actually could have in May, but I had just finished with finals, so I was focused on just being done with that and not really going to another baseball game. I need to next year, though.
-Mateo
http://mateofischer.mlblogs.com
Yeah, it’s tough because the Indy teams don’t start up until late May.
-Mike
Exactly, and then they’re done pretty much as I get there in September.
-Mateo
http://mateofischer.mlblogs.com
Interesting old stadium I was there last year nice to see that got a n Conrad. It was sun faded last year when I went! I have One more stadium left in N.C. which I will get to this year. It is the Mudcats stadium they never are home when I am in that area.
You’ll like the MudCats. They have a very unique stadium. We had a good time there even with the small crowd.
-Mike