Baseball in the Midlands: 3 stadiums, 1 grand time

Baseball fans in Columbia are rejoicing.

Professional baseball has returned to the Capital City, with the Fireflies set to play their first home game at 7:05 p.m. Thursday, April 14 at the new Spirit Communications Park.

While the Fireflies are just starting off, the University of South Carolina is in the midst of a campaign in which they’re ranked among the top teams in the country.

But there’s more.

The Lexington County Blowfish begin their collegiate summer league season Tuesday, May 31.

So many options. The good part is, fans don’t have to choose. They can experience them all.

“Baseball is thriving in the Midlands,” said Bill Shanahan, owner of the Blowfish. “I’m proud this area can support this amount of baseball.”

With a sleek new stadium that seats 7,500 and can hold 10,000, the Fireflies know there are a lot of baseball fans in Columbia. They also know a lot of those fans may drag spouses, kids or friends who aren’t into baseball to the games.

“You don’t have to be a baseball fan to come and experience a Fireflies game,” said Abby Naas, vice president of marketing and public relations for the Fireflies.

There are promotions like Budweiser Thirsty Thursdays, when draft beer and fountain sodas are half-price. Or $2 Tuesday’s, when fans can buy hot dogs, popcorn and fountain sodas for $2.

There are different seating options, including a mix-and-mingle area near a centerfield bar, a picnic area, a section with high-top tables and a berm that’s good for fidgety kids. There is also a Kids Zone where those fidgety kids can play.

At Carolina baseball games, much of the appeal is in the familiar – the Gamecocks taking the field after the theme from “2001” blares, or fans jumping to “Sandstorm” after every USC home run.

Gamecock fans play Bingo during the game, trying to win a gift certificate to a Homegrown Hospitality restaurant. They cheer for a 12th strikeout for a Chick-fil-A sandwich. They pose for photos with Cocky, the NCAA national championship trophies or the seats from the famed Rosenblatt Stadium, where USC won the last national championship played before the stadium was demolished.

And when fans go to see the Blowfish play this summer, they’ll find a Blowfish brand of fun.

Music by Hootie and the Blowfish, the team’s namesake, plays during one inning each game. There are Dog Day Tuesdays, when dogs come free with their owners and participate in a parade from dugout to dugout. Kids get free sugar-free lollipops during a Lollipop Inning.

At all three stadiums, there will be the sounds of bats meeting balls, the smells of hotdogs and popcorn, and the sights of fans of all ages cheering for hits, runs, strikeouts and double plays.

It’s the place to be this spring.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Baseball in the Midlands: 3 stadiums, 1 grand time."