This past Saturday afternoon, Rachel and I took the short drive to nearby Suffolk, Virginia to attend their annual Taste of Suffolk City Festival. The festival featured food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, music, magic shows, kids stuff, and really showcased the unique and eclectic downtown area of Suffolk. Famous for its farms, specifically its peanut farms, Downtown Suffolk is a great spot to visit, have lunch, shop, and spend quality time with friends and family.

On the return trip back to VA Beach, Rachel permitted me a short visit to Suffolk’s Nansemond River High School. I was curious to see their baseball field, check out any interesting monuments or plaques, and walk off the gigantic ice cream I inhaled on my way out of Suffolk’s Main Street area. Two scoops of “playdough” ice cream and I needed a walk around a baseball field – STAT! And I got just the walk I needed when I arrived at the high school baseball field, home of the NRHS Warriors.

With it being a Saturday afternoon, there was literally no one on the school campus. Just a few school buses lined up in front of the main high school building were the only vehicles I spotted. Rachel and I parked right next to the field. I spotted an open gate and mentioned to Rachel that I would be back in “5.” She waved and off I went.

The sun was still hours from setting in the sky but it was starting to set behind the trees in left and center field, so I hustled around the field to check it out. I walked over to an open gate just passed the first base dugout and entered the field of play. The infield, like many I have seen at the high school level, was all grass until you hit the baselines from first to third. Meaning, dirt at home plate, the pitcher’s mound, the first to second then third baselines aka the infield dirt, and that’s pretty much it. Grass covered the first and third baselines as well as the area from the mound to the batter’s box. I like the design, it has a really clean look to it.

I had to read the dugout banners twice and chuckled a bit. The home team, NRHS Warriors, has a set of banners that spell out “NR Warriors.” The visitor’s dugout has a banner that reads “Other Team.” Loved the originality there. Both dugouts are red base with black doors and trim. Black and red themes seemed to dominate the color scheme at this field. Next to the press box, there was a pretty cool bench with the “Warriors” and “NR” logos carved into it.

There were two jerseys honoring former Nansemond River High School baseball team members. The #18 is for former NRHS star Randy Burden, according to a Suffolk Herald article – Randy Burden article. Burden passed away in December, 2002. The #27 is (not confirmed, although pretty sure) for NRHS teacher, athletic director, and multi-sport coach Phil Braswell. If you are from the Suffolk area and know otherwise, please let me know and I will edit the #27 information.

Quick search online confirmed a player I sort of already knew that played at Nansemond River High School – Tampa Bay Rays utility star Brandon Lowe. The NESN and WEEI team members have mentioned Lowe and his Suffolk, VA roots over the past few years on TV and on the radio. Lowe is constant thorn in my Boston Red Sox because he is a consistent hitter and fielder – infield or outfield. Lowe played at NRHS in the early 2000s, went on to play for the University of Maryland, was a 3rd Round Draft pick in 2015, and has been a really good player for the Rays for the past decade or so. Lowe made his MLB debut in 2018.

After a very satisfying trip around Nansemond River High School’s Warrior Baseball Field, I was ready to hop back in the car and head home. Warrior Field, not sure if that is its actual name, was a great high school baseball park. Clean, plenty of bleacher seats for fans, expanded grass infield, cool press box, awesome backdrop with the woods and peanut farms surrounding the high school lot. It was so great to stop in and take in the sights and fun shops of downtown Suffolk. And finish the day off with a great trip to a great baseball field. Overall, it was a memorable Suffolk experience visiting Nansemond River High School and the Taste of Suffolk in beautiful Suffolk, Virginia, USA.