Nevada made history at Peccole Park -- the home of Wolf Pack baseball since 1988 -- earlier this season and will continue doing so with marquee events on the horizon. After breaking an attendance record with the first sell out in stadium history, Nevada is also eyeing career win No. 500 at Peccole and hosting the first Mountain West Championship in Nevada history this season -- marking a special year for Peccole Park.
Peccole Park was originally constructed in 1988 and has undergone three renovation projects in its history. With modest beginnings, Peccole Park has grown into a 3,000 capacity stadium with FieldTurf, Wolf Pack locker facilities, two bullpens and batting cages, a press box, concession stands and restrooms.
Peccole Park has proven to be one of the biggest home field advantages in college baseball and one of the best facilities on the west coast. The Wolf Pack is 498-237 with a 68 percent winning percentage in 28 years at Peccole Park and has posted winning home records in 26-of-28 seasons in that span. This season, Nevada is 21-4 at Peccole with a home winning percentage that ranks in the top ten in the nation.
"I'm not kidding when I say this, Peccole Park is my favorite place in the world," said head coach Jay Johnson. "It's a tremendously special place to play baseball and there aren't too many home field advantages like this on the west coast or in the nation. We have a passionate fan base and when they show up at Peccole for a game, we feel very lucky to call this our home,"
Peccole will be the first facility to host a Mountain West Championship at the University of Nevada when the MW Baseball Tournament comes to Reno, May 20-24, 2015. The Wolf Pack will be the tournament's No. 1 seed after winning the regular season title. The Pack will be hoping for big crowds after previously breaking the stadium's attendance record in 2015 with a 3,136 standing-room only crowd on April 26, 2015.
This season, two of Nevada's crowds have cracked the top 20 chart in Peccole's record book. The Wolf Pack went 21-3 at home with the nation's eighth best home winning percentage in 2015, bringing the University of Nevada's first-ever Mountain West championship home to Peccole.
Peccole Park received a major upgrade prior to the start of the 2006 season as three monumental improvements were made to the park. FieldTurf was installed on the field replacing the grass playing surface, lights were installed, and a new fence now surrounds the outfield.
The University of Nevada baseball program was almost discontinued as a collegiate sport but, thanks to the generosity of alum and donor William Peccole, the Wolf Pack program was saved and a new field was built on campus. The field began to take shape in 1987 with an initial $300,000 donation from Peccole, along with assistance from local contractors who donated time and materials to the project.
The Wolf Pack played their first season in Peccole Park in 1988 posting a 17-12 record. Another $300,000 gift from Peccole in 1992 built restroom facilities and seating down first and third base. Additional donations helped pave the parking lot and make continued improvements to the stadium. Peccole's financial support of the park that bears his name totaled $600,000.
The 1995 off-season produced upgrades of the restroom facilities, concessions facilities, and the addition of parking to better handle the crowds that have responded to Nevada's baseball success.
During the summer of 1997, a state-of-the-art indoor batting and pitching facility was added and the entire infield was upgraded and resodded. Prior to the 2001 season 1,225 seats down the left field line were installed increasing seating capacity to 3,000.
Fans attending a game in 2003 saw a new scoreboard and message center that were installed during the off-season. Prior to the 2005 season an office for the Pack coaching staff, player and coaches showers, a training area, expansion to the players locker room, laundry facilities, and increased storage areas were added.
The Wolf Pack has posted numerous special seasons at Peccole Park. The 1992 club posted a perfect 27-0 home record and currently holds the program record for most wins and best winning percentage at home. Nevada has posted seven 20-win seasons at home in Peccole's history. The Pack has averaged 17.8 home wins per season since moving into Peccole Park.
From Reno-Tahoe International Airport:
Take 395 north and exit at Interstate 80 west and exit at Virginia Street. Turn right (north) on Virginia Street. Take a right on Ninth Street, which turns into Evans Ave.; take Evans Ave. for approximately 1.0 mile. Peccole Park is on the left.
Or
From Virginia Street, turn right on Fifteenth Street, drive past Lawlor Events Center. Turn left on West Stadium and then take a left onto East Stadium. Take your next right and go approximately one-half mile. Peccole Park is after the John A. Sala Intramural Fields.
From Interstate 80:
Exit at Virginia Street. Turn right (north) on Virginia Street. Drive approximately 1.0 mile and turn right on Fifteenth Street, drive past Lawlor Events Center. Turn left on West Stadium and then take a left onto East Stadium. Take your next right and drive approximately one-half mile. Peccole Park is after the John A. Sala Intramural Fields.
