First Responder Field at SERVPRO Stadium - Olney Cropdusters

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86

First Responder Field at SERVPRO Stadium 4501 Olney Laytonsville Rd Olney, MD 20832

Olney Cropdusters website SERVPRO Stadium website

Year Opened: 2022 Capacity: 600

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Crop Dusting in Olney

The Cal Ripken Senior Collegiate Baseball League consists of eight teams from across the Washington, D.C. metro area, in Maryland, Virginia, and the District itself. The newest team in this league is the Olney Cropdusters, who play their home games in Olney, Maryland, at SERVPRO Stadium, formally known by the much more verbose name First Responder Field at SERVPRO Stadium, with some sources for the name also referencing the Olney Boys and Girls Club property on which the stadium lies.

Whatever the name of the stadium, it opened in 2022 when the Cropdusters joined the Cal Ripken League. Originally, the stadium had no lights and fans sat on hay bales or brought their own chairs, but by 2024, both artificial lights and a 600-seat grandstand had been added.

Food & Beverage 4

The concession stand at SERVPRO Stadium is located down the right field line, in a red building that is right by the entrance to the stadium. The usual menu includes hot dogs, chicken tenders, burgers, and bratwursts as well as Gatorade, water, soda, chips, and candy. A combo meal comes with a main course food item, chips, and a drink, or you can buy the items individually. Combo meals range from $7.50 for a hot dog to $15 for chicken tenders, while getting the same items a la carte will be about 30% cheaper if you don't want chips and a drink. Oddly enough, the combo meal does not always save you money . Getting chicken tenders a la carte, with a drink and chips separately, will only cost you $14 while the combo will cost you $15. For the bratwurst and cheeseburger, it will cost the same whether you get the combo or get all items separately. For the hot dog combo you actually will save $1.50 by getting them together.

For Sunday morning or afternoon games, the Cropdusters also have a Bases Loaded Brunch, with cocktails, mimosas, beer-mosas, and breakfast-related concession items.

Atmosphere 5

The home of the Olney Cropdusters has come a long way from when it first opened in 2022. A 600-seat grandstand consisting entirely of chairbacks is located behind home plate and offers outstanding views of the action on the field. Gone are the days when fans were forced to bring their own chairs or sit on hay bales. That being said, some fans do still choose to bring their own seats and sit further up the right-field line close to the bullpen.

The sound system has been greatly improved as well and is now at a perfect volume - loud enough to hear clearly but not so loud that it's blaring. A scoreboard in the outfield shows the linescore and other basic information.

The Cropdusters do a lot to keep fans engaged. Many games have giveaways for the fans in attendance. Ceremonial first pitches take place before the game, featuring anyone from former Cropdusters to members of local community groups the team partners with. After players show hustle, a "Dusted Off" sound effect will play over the PA system, bringing to mind the players getting dirty and having to dust off their jerseys, as well as being a pun on the team name. During the seventh inning stretch, "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" by John Denver will play after "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and the fans will clap along.

Neighborhood 3

Olney is a thriving suburb of Washington, D.C. with the typical options one might expect there. Lone Oak Farm Brewing Company is just down the street from the field, but your best bet is to head a couple of miles away to the downtown area near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and State Route 108. Depending on how you get to the ballpark, you may wind up heading through that intersection anyway on your way in and out, so it is not as burdensome as it might seem.

The Greene Turtle is a popular regional sports bar, and the Olney Grille is a nice restaurant as well. You can find a wide range of cuisines here ranging from traditional American to seafood to Vietnamese. The Olney Theatre Center is a short drive east of the intersection, for those looking for some non-sports entertainment.

Fans 4

The Cropdusters have one of the largest fan bases in the Cal Ripken League. While the grandstand will not usually fill up, expect a couple hundred fans for a typical home game, many of them clad in the yellow and red colors of the Cropdusters. They are enthusiastic and there to cheer on the team and have some fun at the same time. Expect them to stay engaged, cheering at big moments, participating in promotions, and clapping along to "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" during the seventh inning stretch.

Access 4

First Responder Field is located a few miles off State Route 200 (the Intercounty Connector, a toll road) via Georgia Avenue (State Route 97) and State Route 108. Once you get to the OBGC, you will see large signs announcing that there is a Cropdusters game that night and prompting you to turn into the stadium.

Once you get in, there is a large, spacious lot serving not just SERVPRO Stadium but the entire Olney Boys and Girls Club. If there are youth sporting events going on on the back fields, parking may be more difficult but you should still be able to find a spot.

Restrooms are located near the concession stand and are sufficient for the crowd. It is easy to get to the grandstand and up and down the aisles, even with large crowds.

Return on Investment 5

Admission to most regular season home games is $12 in advance online or $15 at the gate the day of the game. There are some exceptions. The Cropdusters will host a fireworks night close to July 4th where tickets go for $20 and are available online only as they sell out well in advance. (If you do go to this game, be careful you are buying tickets to the game itself and not one of the fireworks passes that go on sale once the game sells out. The latter will get you into the fireworks but not the game.) Scheduled doubleheaders cost $18 (though you may be able to buy tickets for unscheduled ones at the normal price, and they will still get you into both games) and select games offer discounted $5 tickets.

Concessions are reasonably priced, though it may help to double check the math on the combo deals.

Overall, an Olney Cropdusters game is an outstanding value.

Extras 2

There is a team store down the first baseline which sells Cropdusters merchandise.

We'll give a second star here for the numerous promotions the Cropdusters have throughout the season, ranging from bobblehead giveaways to partnerships with local youth organizations. Not many teams in this league have that level of engagement.

Final Thoughts

The Olney Cropdusters have come a long way with their stadium since it opened in 2022. Even back then, they had an outstanding experience, but with all the renovations and improvements to the ballpark, this is truly a top-notch summer collegiate baseball venue. Baseball fans in the area will definitely want to make the trip out to Olney during the summer months to see a Cropdusters game.