- Drew van der Poel
Connors Park – Siena Saints
Photo by Drew ver der Poel, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Connors Park
Friars Drive west of Maloy Circle
Loudonville, NY 12110
Year Opened: 1950
Capacity: 500
Siena Baseball Field
The Siena Saints baseball team plays in the MAAC Conference, and they play their home games at Siena Baseball Field, nestled right on the beautiful Siena College campus in Loudonville, New York. The field has a seating capacity of just 500, but it could hold many more with practically endless standing room. The natural grass field measures 330 and 310 feet down the left and right field lines, and 400 to center. Siena’s baseball team has been playing here since the program’s inception in the 1950’s.
The Saints have enjoyed moderate success. They won four conference tournament championships in five years in the late 1990’s, before winning their fifth conference tournament championship in 2014. They have two NCAA Tournament appearances (1999, 2014), and they won one game in their most recent appearance in Fort Worth.
Siena Baseball Field provides a no-frills experience for baseball purists in the Capital District.
Note: The field name was changed to Connors Park in 2017. Connors Park was named in honor of the Connors Family, represented by Michael Connors, his brother, Rick, and his son, Brett, who played for the Saints from 2013-16.
Food & Beverage 2
There is one snack cart at the field. They have various candy and similar snacks. It is run by students and there is no line. It is similar to a stand that would be at a little league game.
Atmosphere 3
The atmosphere for a Siena game is solid. The field itself is very aesthetically pleasing, as is the setting. The scoreboard and sound quality are both good, and leave nothing to be desired. The sets of bleachers are all very close to the home plate area, which is pretty cool. And some of the bleachers even have chair backs, which is awesome for this level of college baseball. Fans can also bring their own chairs if they wish.
There is an abundance of green and gold throughout the facility, making it known whose house you’re in. Siena’s lacrosse field and athletic center are also right near the field, so you can easily catch a double header if you’d like.
Siena’s dugout and bullpen are on the 1st base side of the field, while the visitors are on the 3rd base side. Most of the visiting team fans sit on the same side as their rooting interest, while Siena fans are scattered throughout. This is essentially a glorified high school baseball field, and it may even have less seating than your high school’s team, depending on where you went to school!
Overall the experience feels like low Division I college baseball, which is exactly what it is. There is nothing wrong with the atmosphere, but it doesn’t exceed realistic expectations.
Neighborhood 2
While Siena’s campus is beautiful, there is not much of a neighborhood around the field. Downtown Albany is a 15 minute drive away, while the town of Latham is just up the road, and they have a number of eating, drinking and shopping options.
Fans 2
There are a few fans who are very passionate about their team, and I even saw a dog wearing Siena gear. Some fans get great pleasure out of heckling the ump on his strike zone. Otherwise the crowd is pretty ho-hum, and is a mix of locals, students and parents of both the visiting and home teams. Everybody seems to enjoy a beautiful setting for America’s pastime
Access 5
The CDTA’s 182 line takes you to Siena’s campus, leaving you with a short walk to the field. This line serves both Albany and Troy, so you can get to the small college from either city.
Otherwise driving to Siena is very easy. There are no concourses to get crowded, and parking is effortless.
Return on Investment 5
It’s free baseball, and the team was conference champions in 2014, making it an even better deal. If you love baseball, or are just looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon, you can’t go wrong with a Siena baseball game.
Extras 2
One point for Siena’s truly beautiful campus.
One point for chair back bleachers, something that is all too rare in stadium travels.