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Liberty's new baseball stadium.
Athletics

Flames slide home in new baseball stadium

May 20, 2013

Liberty University christened its new, state-of-the-art baseball stadium with a 4-1 victory over Penn State on Feb. 23.

The new field, located adjacent to the recently expanded Williams Stadium, home of the Flames Football program, and Osborne Stadium, home to both the Liberty men’s and women’s soccer and track and field programs, replaces Worthington Stadium, where the Flames played for 34 seasons (1979-2012).

The $20 million facility features 2,500 chairback seats and three VIP suites, with additional seating available on grass areas down the first- and third-base lines. This configuration more than doubles the seating capacity of Worthington Stadium.

Construction began last summer and the final touches will be completed in June.

The Flames hosted the Big South Conference Baseball Championship at the new stadium May 21-25.

“It’s a beautiful baseball stadium … one of the best in the country in my opinion,” said Liberty Athletics Director Jeff Barber, who patterned it after the University of South Carolina’s $35 million stadium.

The complex is the operations center of Liberty Baseball. The program’s offices and team room overlook the playing field, and the facility includes a modern media area with a 24-seat press box, a television booth, visitor and home radio booths, an operations suite, and storage space.

All areas except for the pitcher’s mound — including the infield, foul territory, and warning tracks — are covered by turf. The field is flanked by full-length, major league-style dugouts, and players have access to four indoor batting tunnels, a weight room, and a clubhouse.

For fans, two concessions areas are available as well as a playground for children, picnic area, and a 3,000-square-foot patio with a fire pit.

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