'It's electric': Inside Pensacola Catholic baseball's student section, the 'Left Field Lounge'

They say there are four things that go together: baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.

Well, at least they said that in the 1970s.

A few of those things ring true at Pensacola Catholic today.

Baseball, yes. The Crusaders are currently one of the top teams in the state, and have a strong history of success including a 2013 National Championship.

Hot dogs, close enough. The concession stand at Richard R. LaBounty Field does sell hot dogs. But some Pensacola Catholic students know there’s some good eating behind the left field fence – perhaps some Conecuh sausages.

Apple pie? Hard to say. Just take that one with a grain of salt. Maybe that’s for the future.

But Chevrolets aren’t the only thing Pensacola Catholic's bringing to baseball. Behind the left-field fence, the Crusaders’ beloved student section, known as the “Left Field Lounge,” boasts students with trucks of all makes. Ford, Chevy, Ram, GMC, you name it.

During Wednesday’s Region 1-3A quarterfinal game, 20 trucks showed up to the “Left Field Lounge,” and, quite honestly, it expanded a bit past left field, bleeding behind center field just a touch.

“It was huge. They all came out to support us. They’ve been with us all year long,” Pensacola Catholic baseball head coach Richard LaBounty said.

“It’s so crazy, it’s electric,” said Vaughn Howard, who plays left field for the Crusaders. “It’s probably one of the best things in sports. You get fired up, your energy is so high. You feel unstoppable. … It’s an amazing feeling.”

“Vaughn interacts with us and he’s locked in all the time. He’ll turn around and shoot us a ‘one’ or a ‘two’ (for how many outs are in the inning) just to keep us involved,” junior Jackson Barter said. “The players love it. Everyone wants people here. … It’s great to bring everyone together to cheer on all of our students, no matter what.”

‘Why not bring it to baseball?’

Pensacola Catholic was described by a couple students as an “all-around sports school.” Student sections show up for big-time contests during football, basketball, lacrosse, you name it. The “Left Field Lounge” has a history with the Crusaders, but it was brought back into full force this past season.

A few home games into the season, Barter wanted to revive the “Left Field Lounge” to its former glory. He rallied the troops for the Crusaders’ game against Gulf Breeze – arguably the school’s biggest rival in any sport – in early March.

Perhaps it was coincidental timing. The game against the Dolphins was just two days after Pensacola Catholic’s only loss during the regular season to Marist (Georgia). With a pumped up student section, the Crusaders pulled out a dominant 11-1 win, which started a 23-game win streak, leading into the Region 1-3A quarterfinals against Keystone Heights.

“It’s just a big thing because everyone has their football games, and everyone has themes with student sections. … So why not bring it to baseball?” Barter said. “Most of our students play sports. Most are off-season during baseball season, especially during playoffs. … We’re just bringing everyone together as a student body.”

Welcome to the show

I went to my first Pensacola Catholic game when the Crusaders hosted Central on March 27. It was a marquee matchup, with two top teams going head-to-head. That’s when I first noticed the “Left Field Lounge.”

I thought it was a one-time thing, just given the magnitude of the game.

Then I started to see more posts on social media about it. Especially leading up to the Region 1-3A quarterfinals on Wednesday against Keystone Heights. At that point, the Pensacola Catholic baseball team put out a call to action for students to show up in full force.

And nearly 20 trucks and dozens of students later, the Crusaders pulled through.

“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting all this,” Barter said. “Once I got here and three trucks were already here – and I’m usually the first one here – it’s just crazy.”

I got there around 6:30 p.m., a half-hour before the game started, and the small strip of grass behind the fence was already filling up. It was about five minutes before the first pitch where the student section was fully stocked.

At that point, it was a normal backyard party – just like any Fourth of July celebration, except no fireworks.

A couple students brought grills and started making food for the masses. Even though there was a game going on, some trucks began playing music. Students were tailgating with folding chairs in the truck beds, while others chose to stand up close to the fence.

After walking around, getting photos and talking to students about the “Left Field Lounge,” it became a pretty relaxed environment. With some Pensacola Catholic football players there, I asked how they felt about the upcoming season – especially since spring practices are now underway.

Ryland Bragg, who was an offensive lineman for the Crusaders last year, is getting ready to graduate soon. At the end of the month, he’ll head to Division I Jacksonville State to play college football.

“It’s a nice area to just chill and watch some good baseball,” Bragg said. “I’m just enjoying the school atmosphere while I still can.”

Bragg was sitting in the truck bed of junior Josh Sluder’s truck, another offensive lineman for the Crusaders.

“Josh, I gotta ask, why risk putting the truck right here? What if it gets hit?” I asked him.

“Hey, I mean, I’ll catch it,” Sluder said with a smile. “The truck will be fine.”

It was a legitimate question. Pensacola Catholic has crushed 29 home runs this season, including nine from senior and Auburn signee Chris Rembert. What if an opposing player hits a home run into his truck?

“Definitely throwing it back,” Bragg quickly interjected.

How about if a Crusader hits the truck after going yard?

“If it hits the truck, we’ll give the ball to him,” Bragg said. “Shards of glass and all.”

At that point, I walked back toward the epicenter of the “Left Field Lounge.” Barter was standing along the fence watching the game while fellow classmate Harrison Medlock – we’ll call him “The Grillmaster” – was making food for anyone and everyone who wanted it. Conecuh sausages (more on that in a second), burgers, hot dogs, whatever he had.

“One day, I want to open a restaurant and maybe a food truck, and be able to do all that. I don’t charge anybody. It’s coming out of my pocket,” Medlock said. “Whoever comes over here, it puts a smile on my face just to bring everyone together.”

“People always flock to food, so that’s always nice. When they do that, everyone wants to come. … Usually we have three or four grills out here,” Barter said. “But it’s just nice. People want to come and grill. We’re allowed to do that, which is awesome. We’re grateful that Sister Kierstin (Martin) and Coach LaBounty and (assistant principal Jim) Edler let us do this.”

I was watching Medlock work his magic on the grill. He asked if I had ever had a Conecuh sausage. I mentioned I was from New York and had never heard of it. He told me it was a company based out of Alabama.

“It’s life-changing,” Medlock said, immediately throwing a couple sausages on the grill for me. Minutes later, I was handed a paper plate with sausages inside a hamburger bun. One bite, and I was hooked.

“Told you,” someone else said to me.

At that point, there was some cheering. Oh right, there was a baseball game going on. The Crusaders had just put runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fifth inning, trailing 2-1.

Rembert stepped up to the plate. And a couple pitches in, Rembert smoked a three-run home run directly over the left-field fence – one truck over from Sluder’s, and a little behind the hood of the backed up truck, so no damage was done. It was a fairytale moment, as the “Left Field Lounge” went wild as expected.

The ball was given to Rembert’s girlfriend, someone said. No glass embedded.

Ultimately, that home run changed the course of the game. And the Crusaders went on to win 5-2.

“That was sick, honestly,” Rembert said of hitting the home run over the student section. “It’s the best, having a crowd out here. It gives you confidence and gives you that adrenaline.”

“I think they had something to do with us taking care of business,” LaBounty said.

Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: A trip to Pensacola Catholic baseball's student section, the 'Left Field Lounge'