Pride of the Lions

First look at Southard Stadium on the Saint Leo campus.

From down the first-base line, including the visitors’ bullpen.

The view for fans behind the plate.

• Location: Saint Leo University, off Old SR 52, St. Leo, Fla. (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 1975 (approx.)
• Home team: Saint Leo Lions, Sunshine State Conference
• Capacity: 500

The baseball team, which originally played at a park in Dade City, six miles to the east, moved back on campus in the mid-1970s. The new field was named for Thomas B. Southard, who was serving as the school’s president at the time (his term was 1971-85). The field is part of an athletic complex that includes fields for softball, soccer, and lacrosse. Saint Leo numbers former Major League pitcher Bob Tewksbury among its alumni.

Not only is there limited seating capacity, but the field itself is small, with a short right-field porch at 301 feet. The fence rises in right field to make up part of the difference.