Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park

"The Joe"

HISTORY

In the spring of 1997, a Citadel official was quoted as saying the Bulldogs had three important things going for its baseball program: weather, tradition and the best facility in college baseball.
 
When The Citadel moved from historic College Park to Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park and played their first game in "The Joe" on April 6, 1997, the Bulldogs continued to play in one of the best facilities in college baseball.
 
Named for the longtime - and current - Charleston mayor who is a 1964 graduate of The Citadel, "The Joe" has seating for 6,000 in one of the most picturesque ballpark settings in the country.
 
Designed by HOK Sport, the same architecture firm that designed Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Coors Field in Denver, Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. and PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Riley Park is located on the banks of the Ashley River with a view of the Charleston Marina beyond the left-center field wall.
 
The winning tradition that was a mainstay at College Park was immediately established in the first game ever to be played at Riley Park on April 6, 1997. The Citadel's Ryan Butler blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Bulldogs a 6-5, come-from-behind victory over Western Carolina.
 
Not to be outdone by advancements in technology, Riley Park was upgraded in 2006 when a state-of-the-art video board was installed, replacing the original matrix board. In addition, a new scoreboard was installed featuring LED lighting.
 
Since its first full season as home of the Bulldogs in 1998, Riley Park has seen over 552,000 fans file through the gates to watch The Citadel play, averaging over 42,500 fans per year. The single game attendance record for a collegiate baseball game at "The Joe" was on March 30, 2005 when 5,802 people watched The Citadel play South Carolina. The most fans to watch the Bulldogs over the course of a season at home was in 2004 when over 58,500 fans headed to "The Joe" to watch the Bulldogs play. The Citadel has finished in the top-35 nationally in attendance eight times in the 13 seasons playing at Riley Park.
 
The roaring crowds in support of the Bulldogs make "The Joe" one of the toughest places to play in the South. That has resonated with the success of the program as the Bulldogs have accumulated a 313-153 (.672) record at Riley Park. That includes a 150-48 (.758) mark in Southern Conference games. That success rate is an extension of the success established at College Park from 1967 - 1997 as the Bulldogs went 549-257 and posted a .681 winning percentage.
 
In its inaugural season, Riley Park became home to the Southern Conference Tournament, a popular mainstay in the Holy City. One of the most attended college baseball tournaments in the nation, The Citadel and Riley Park hosted the SoCon Tournament through the 2008 season, marking 19 consecutive years the tournament has been held in Charleston. After a year's absence in Greenville, S.C. in 2009, the tournament returned for the 2010 season and will be the host once again in 2011.

The single-game tournament attendance record of 5,419 was set in 2003 for an opening round game between The Citadel and the College of Charleston. The tournament attendance record was set in 2004 when more than 35,000 fans attended the SoCon Tournament at Riley Park, an average of 2,343 per game. Over 320,000 patrons have attended the 20 previous SoCon Tournaments held in Charleston and anxiously await another chance in 2011.
 
Riley Park is more than a playing field for the Bulldogs. The Citadel's clubhouse, affectionately named "Chal's House" after legendary coach Chal Port, provides individual lockers for each player, a full amenity bathroom facility, coaches' locker room and office and meeting space. The Bulldog Hall of Fame that boasts players that have gone on to the professional ranks, along with The Citadel's Wall of Champions, line the halls leading to the clubhouse. There are also exclusive tunnels that run to the batting cages and dugout as well as a sports medicine training room.
 
Riley Park also features ample restroom facilities, convenient concession stands, sufficient parking, a state-of-the-art videoboard, an easy-to-read scoreboard with LED lighting, party areas, skyboxes, a comfortable press box with separate radio and television booths, three locker rooms, umpires' locker room, training rooms, significant office space and just about all amenities for which one could ask.
 
The Citadel shares its home with the Charleston RiverDogs, the Class-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The RiverDogs currently play in the South Atlantic League (SAL).

LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS

LOCATION: Riley Park is located just off The Citadel campus, along Fishbourne Street and bordering the Ashley River.

DIRECTIONS

• From Downtown:
  • Take Broad Street west until it turns into Lockwood Drive.
  • Continue on Lockwood for two miles until it turns into Fishbourne Street.
  • Riley Park is on the left
• From Interstate 26 Eastbound:
  • Take I-26 East to Highway 17 South.
  • Turn right onto Lockwood Drive.
  • Follow Lockwood for 1/2 mile until it turns into Fishbourne Street.
  • Riley Park is on the left.
• From US 17 Southbound:
  • Take Highway 17 over the Cooper River Bridge into Charleston.
  • Turn right on Lockwood Drive.
  • Follow Lockwood Drive for 1/2 mile until it turns into Fishbourne Street.
  • Riley Park is on the left.
• From US 17 Northbound:
  • Take Highway 17 over the Ashley River.
  • Remain in the second lane from the right on bridge and exit to Lockwood Drive North.
  • Turn left at light onto Lockwood Drive.
  • Follow Lockwood Drive for 1/2 mile until it turns into Fishbourne Street.
  • Riley Park is on the left.

SEATING AND TICKETS

• The main ticket office is located on the south side of Riley Park on Fishbourne Street. For more information please contact The Citadel Ticket Office at 843-953-3647.

PARKING

Public parking is located in the north lot adjacent to the north entrance of Riley Park. It can be accessed via Fishbourne Street, east of Riley Park. The "Joe" entrance is located on the south side of the parking lot.

DIMENSIONS

• Leftfield: 305
• Left-centerfield: 356
• Centerfield: 398
• Right-centerfield: 366
• Rightfield: 337

CLUBHOUSE

The Citadel Baseball Clubhouse is located behind homeplate and can be accessed from the dugout or from the concourse directly across from the elevator. It contains the players' locker room, coaches office and training room.

CONCESSIONS

The main concession stand is located adjacent to the north entrance of Riley Park. Several auxiliary stands are positioned along the adjoining concourse.

RESTROOMS

Women's and men's restrooms are located along the north concourse adjacent to the concession stand.

SCOREBOARD AND VIDEO BOARD

Scoreboard

The Scoreboard is located in leftfield and is in play.

Videoboard

The videoboard is located in right centerfield and is not in play.

 The capacity of Riley Park is 6,000. The "Joe" has chair-back, box seasts and bleacher-style, aluminum benches.