How To Get A Ball At Cooley Law School Stadium

Getting a ball at Cooley Law School Stadium can be a challenge, but if you know a handful of tricks, you’ll have an upper hand on the other fans hoping to come away with a ball. First, the ballpark isn’t open during batting practice, which is the norm in Minor League Baseball. At some parks, you can stand behind the outfield fence and track down batting practice home runs, but that won’t work here. There are grass berms behind the outfield fence and another fence farther back, which keep any balls from leaving the park.

So, although you can’t expect to get a ball during BP, you can use this time to your advantage. If you walk down the sidewalk along North Larch Street, you’ll be able to see the field through the rungs of a fence. Get to the park early and stand in this area to watch batting practice. During BP, you’ll be able to see several home run balls leave the field and several long fouls land in the stands or elsewhere. Ushers will race around picking the balls up, but they’re busy enough with myriad other duties that they won’t usually collect every one. As you watch, pay special attention to balls that land in places that ushers might miss — wedged in seats, up against objects, etc. If you can remember exactly where certain balls end up, you can use this knowledge to your advantage.

Around 20 minutes before the gates open, go get in line so that you can be one of the first fans into the ballpark. If the game has a popular promotion, such as a bobblehead giveaway, the crowds will be larger, so you’ll want to get in line even sooner. As soon as you pass through the gates, run to the areas you saw the batting practice balls land. If you’re in luck, at least one will still be there and you’ll have an official ball before the game even begins.

Deciding where to hang out during the game depends on what kind of ball you want. If you’re determined to catch a home run, it’s smart to take a look at each team’s stats before visiting the park, or pick up a program and check out the stats page. Note the players who lead the teams in home runs, as this knowledge will give you a leg up on the competition. The grass berms in left and right field are the obvious places to stand for a home run ball. It’s best to stand or sit at the top of either berm and once a ball is hit your way, run in its direction. (Be mindful of others around you; no one needs to get trampled in your pursuit of a ball.) Watch whether the power hitters are left or right handed and move from one berm to the other accordingly.

Hoping for a foul ball involves a lot of luck. In some games, several balls leave the yard. Other times, neither team might manage to hit one out. Catching a foul ball might not be as glorious as catching a home run, but it’s often a lot easier. At Cooley Law School Stadium, there are a handful of places that foul balls are common. Although the concourse is covered along most of its length, it opens up at each end, which is a great place to stand for pop-up fouls. Long foul balls often land in the stands in sections QQ, R, S and T in left field and sections AA, BB, CC and DD in right field. When possible, sit in the least populated of these sections, and always sit in an aisle seat. If a ball lands anywhere in the section, you’ll be able to get into the aisle quickly and run toward the ball.