Texas Summer Baseball Tour, Year Two - Stop #1, Travis Field

Given that I'm not able to do any extensive traveling at the moment, my 2024 summer baseball goals include the following:

1.) See a game at the park of the new Pecos Bills in the independent Pecos League.

2.) See games at the parks of all three Louisiana teams, including the new Lake Charles Gumbeaux Gators, in the Texas Collegiate League.

3.) See games in the four parks of all four Texas teams of the new Mid-America Baseball League.

However, I may stretch to see all of the Texas parks again this year, which now total 20.

It was sixteen a year ago, of which I made them all, but the Austin Weirdos of the Pecos League will play all of their games on the road this season.

I've already seen 33 baseball games so far this year, with 27 of them coming in or at a new stadium, ballpark or field - and the most of them being high school.

Sunday night, June 2, I made the trip to Bryan, Texas to see the Brazos Valley Bombers host the new Gumbeaux Gators at Travis Field (or its other names that include Bombers Field or Edible Field).

Given that we've had some rains roll across the state the last few days, the contest - from a weather perspective - wasn't that unbearable, although worse days are sure to come. It's Texas.

Lake Charles staked an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a little small ball. Aaron Morgan singled, stole second and then moved to third and scored on a pair of fielder's choices.

The Gators added two and the Bombers one in the top and bottom of the third inning, respectively, in much the same fashion.

Brazos Valley cut the margin to one in the bottom of the seventh when Grant Watkins doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Nathan Hodge single to center field.

Landon Hunt scored the final run for Lake Charles when he coaxed a walk, stole both second and third and then added the final tally on a Gage Trahan sacrifice fly.

Three side notes on the trip to Travis Field.

1.) The club entices folks online with "$7 tickets". We all know where this is going. Yep, $9.78 with all of the fees.

2.) The field turf at Travis Stadium, which is also used by the Twin City Toucans FC - a men's team in the USL League Two, looks to be taking a bit of a beating.

3.) The announcer has got a great voice, but the screaming and growling during the Bombers batters' step to the plate introductions just isn't necessary.

Their managing group, Clutch Entertainment, really does a great job to deliver an excellent experience at the ballpark - and they have a sponsor for everything (not too unusual).

Maybe one new metric for this year - the number of advertising signs on the outfield fence.  Travis Field starts it off with 38!