The sight lines at Five County Stadium don't keep me coming back.

But they're great.

The limitless choices at the concession stands don't make me yearn for ballpark food.

But I can't get intoxicating smells of Eastern North Carolina barbeque and warm peanuts out of my head.

The ticket prices aren't next to nothing.

But seeing a live game is still cheaper than going to any decent theatrical performance.

The drive to the stadium is more than a song's length away.

But one of the nation's top minor league ballparks is a nice pot at the end of the journey.

Throw in friends, a talented group of young ballplayers, and a simple way to spend an afternoon – you've got yourself an outstanding way to pass time in the summer.

I love baseball.

It can be on television, at the state-of-the-art ballpark or just in the backyard with a Wiffle bat. I'll find a way to enjoy all the art that is baseball.

Give me bases, a pitcher's mound, a batter's box and an outfield wall every day before selling me on a Broadway hit or – gasp – the ballet and the like.

When I'm making weekend plans, my routine often starts with looking at team schedules before doing anything else.

When it comes to going to a game, there might not be a better place to visit than the park 25 minutes down the road.

Last weekend, some friends and I gathered at Five County Stadium – one of those counties being Nash – to watch the host Carolina Mudcats plays their Double-A foe Huntsville Stars.

We dined on fried chicken, barbeque, cole slaw and banana pudding. It wasn't as good as grandma's, but it was the best I've had in a long time. Maybe being at a ballgame had something to do with it.

We sat along the left-field line, about where the third basemen stand waiting to receive line drives crushed by right-handed hitters, up at the top of the seats – the back row to be exact.

We were close enough to see if the pitches were in the strike zone. We had a sharp view into the visitor's dugout, too.

We were high enough to see every play in the outfield, and we could check on our cars in the parking lots all in the same glance.

The sweet tea was cold, and the beers were colder.

The sun was out, and the visiting players took notice of our heckles.

The point of a ballgame – or any entertainment avenue – is to let us escape the stresses and burdens of our everyday lives. The Mudcats' management and the team do their parts to ensure all the hardships are left at the gate.

Speaking on behalf of everybody who went with me Sunday to the ballpark – we were entertained carefree.

And for that, we'll be back.

Sports editor Ben Jones can be reached at 407-9959 or bjones@coxnc.com