Bauer Field

Bauer Field

N.C. Wesleyan’s baseball diamond was named "Bauer Field" in the fall of 1988 after Dr. Raymond E. Bauer, North Carolina Wesleyan’s first baseball coach. Dr. Bauer began laying out the field in 1961. With some help from local contractors and players, Dr. Bauer had the field ready for its first game in the spring of 1962. In 2005, the Bishops retired Bauer’s #18 jersey.

Bauer field is considered one of the finest small college facilities in the nation. Features include a three-foot high brick wall with a 40-foot net behind home plate for a backstop, as well as enclosed bullpen areas. Both pens include a four-foot elevated bench that overlooks the field, which gives the facility a Fenway Park feel. Adjacent to the left field bullpen is the team's clubhouse and manual scoreboard, which were added in the fall of 2015. The clubhouse offers Bishop players a lockerroom, shower, and lounge area, as well as a detailed history of NCWU's storied program.

The field measures 324 feet down the left field line, 369 feet in the left center gap, 397 feet to center, 371 feet in the right center gap, and 329 feet down the right field line. Left field has a large sign reading "Bauer Field," while a 25’x 40’ Batters Eye is located in center field for a black backdrop.

Surrounding the field are three sets of aluminum benches that give the field a stadium style appearance. The field also includes a 13’ warning track and Rain-Bird irrigation system. Bauer Field’s beautiful hybrid Bermuda 419 tifton grass allows for year-round play.

The park has 50-foot dugouts complete with padded benches and individual player lockers. Located behind the dugouts is a "hitting area." There are two batting cages with one cage housing an Iron Mike Pitching Machine. Multiple tee and soft-toss areas are found around each cage.

The facility also has a two-story pressbox that houses media and statisticians on the top floor. New championship signs have also been added to the back of the pressbox that recognize the 23 Conference Titles, 12 Regional Titles, and 2 National Titles the program has won over the past 40 years. For fans’ convenience, a concession stand is located under the pressbox, and two restroom facilities are located by the Guzzo Gateway entrance.

Finally, in 2023, the program added lights to Bauer Field and the installation of eight new light poles was completely donor-funded, with over forty individuals helping make the lights a reality. Lloyd ’67 and Elliott ’66 Nelson, along with Joe Shearin ’78 and Sam Daniels, helped kickstart the project. A major catalyst to the overall success of the campaign was John Alden’s ’64 substantial matching gift. Finally, an anonymous gift in honor of former pitcher Jim Pittman ’92 significantly moved the needle, pushing the “Flip the Switch” fundraising campaign to exceed its goal.

When asked about the impact of the new lights, Head Baseball Coach Greg Clifton stated, “To be able to schedule practices and games without worrying about daylight is a game changer for the program. It has been a dream of many baseball alumni for years and to see them up now is truly amazing. I cannot wait to see the stands full during our night games many seasons to come.

The lights not only improve NCWU’s baseball team’s ability to schedule practices and games later in the evening, but it also benefits them academically. In the past, student-athletes have had to miss afternoon classes for travel and games. They have also had to schedule practices during daylight hours, which becomes even earlier during standard time. The new addition allows the University to also use Bauer Field for hosting NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals.