How To Get A Ball At Joseph L. Bruno Stadium

As is the case across the Minor Leagues, fans aren’t allowed in Joseph L. Bruno Stadium during batting practice. While you can hang out in the parking lot beyond the outfield fence and catch BP home runs at such stadiums at Falcon Park and Eastwood Field, doing so is nearly impossible at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, thanks to a secondary fence that prevents you from getting too close. While standing on the hill overlooking the stadium, you’ll see many balls plunk to the grass in front of you — but none is likely to reach the second fence.

Ushers gather BP foul balls from the stands prior to the gates opening, but they don’t always get every ball that sits beyond the home run fence in a baseball no-man’s land.

During batting practice, walk around to the hill beyond the outfield fence and watch where the balls land. From here, you can keep an eye on any balls that aren’t collected by stadium ushers, both over the fence and in the right field-side picnic deck, which has enough stools and rungs that a ball can easily go unnoticed. When the gates open one hour before game time, enter quickly and make your way to the area you know balls are located. Fans aren’t technically allowed behind the outfield fence, but if you’re quick (or super-polite to an usher) you can sneak back there and pick up any loose balls. This is your best bet for snagging a ball at a ValleyCats game, as Minor League players are prohibited from tossing balls to fans. (That’s not to say they don’t, but they’re not supposed to.)