The opportunity to play at Modesto’s John Thurman Field has not been uncommon for local high school baseball programs, as the venue has played host to Rotary All-Star games and in recent years the Modesto Nuts High School Showcase.
It’s 2026 now, and the Nuts, an affiliated minor league team for the past 77 seasons, have packed their bags to the Inland Empire. The iconic stadium has a new tenant now, the independent Modesto Roasters of the Pioneer Baseball League. Despite being an expansion team and not having yet played a professional game at the venue, the front office has been busy. Aside from constructing a roster and coaching staff, promoting the upcoming season on social media and designing merchandise, the grounds crew has been hard at work.
This season, John Thurman Field is serving as the home site for Modesto High School varsity baseball. Already this year during the preseason slate they have welcomed local teams such as Hilmar and, during Downey High’s annual March Madness tournament, Turlock.
This week, it was Pitman’s turn to visit. The Pride, playing at John Thurman Field on Monday and Thursday while hosting the Panthers on Wednesday, earned a sweep to improve to 5-1 in the Central California Athletic League and 12-3 overall. They also happened to be one of the first teams to get an up-close look at the stadium’s minor makeover.
In coordination of the Roadster color scheme — the team's primary colors are candy apple red, egg cream malt and neon diner blue — the panels of the grandstand seating sections behind home plate and those of the bleacher seats lining the first and third base lines have been painted. The paint job by Denair’s Lancaster Painting was completed in mid-March.
It’s “loud,” as one spectator noted, but the brightness was no problem for the Pride, who won 13-1 on Monday and 14-3 on Thursday night.
In Monday’s series opener, ace Ben Vilhauer had tunnel vision en route to punching out a season-high 13 batters in a six-inning complete game. Every Pitman starter reached base and scored a run in the contest.
A 16-2 victory for the Pride awaited them as the series transitioned to Turlock on Wednesday. Vilhauer, Cole Kelley and Austin Bernard each collected multiple hits. Kelley, Vilhauer and Elias Mendez also each drove in multiple runs. On the mound, Kelley gave up the two unearned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out eight.
Under the lights in Thursday’s finale, a 14-3 win for Pitman, Jesse Gutierrez collected three hits and drove in two runs to lead the way. Vilhauer, Bernard, Mendez, Jackson Way and starting pitcher Nolan Walker each had two hits in the route. Walker struck out six and surrendered five hits and three walks in the effort.
The Pride will look to keep the good times going next weekend when they travel to participate in the annual Central Coast Classic in San Luis Obispo before returning home April 13 to begin a three-game set against Downey.
Bulldogs down Knights
As for Downey, it was a week of minimal offense against Turlock High’s strong pitching staff, getting outscored 20-1.
With the sweep, the Bulldogs maintained a 6-0 record in CCAL play and improved to 10-4 overall as they also prepare for the Central Coast Classic.
Cooper Pacheco handled business in only four innings in the road opener Monday, his only blemish being a walk. He struck out five. Offensively, Aiden De Los Santos led the team with three RBI, while Mason Hackler and Braiden Fuentes each had two hits.
Wednesday’s game at Mark de la Motte Field proved to be the tightest, a 4-0 win in favor of Turlock. Downey’s Trevor Selke put forward a solid effort with three earned runs allowed on eight hits, but was outdueled by Hackler and a 10-strikeout one-hitter. Pacheco, De Los Santos and Tyler Ulrich each drove in a run for the Bulldogs.
Braydon Keyler turned in a similarly dominant pitching performance in Thursday’s game, giving up one run on two hits and a walk over his six innings of work. Keyler also made impact with the bat with three hits, while Pacheco and Fuentes each drove in two runs.
After the spring break, the Bulldogs will continue CCAL play April 13 on the road against Enochs. After that three-game set, it’ll be their turn to face Modesto High, hosting the Monday and Friday games and traveling north for the Wednesday contest to experience John Thurman Field’s newfound brightness.
More about the Roadsters
The Modesto Roadsters have 96 games scheduled for their inaugural season, including 51 games at John Thurman Field. With 16-year major leaguer and six-time Gold Glove winner JT Snow at the helm, the club will take the diamond for the very first time at home on May 19 against the PBL Travel Team. It will be the first of six games in the opening series at John Thurman Field.
