Revamped Gastonia Baseball Club Opens 2024 Season

GASTONIA, N.C. — Baseball is back in Gaston County.

Hundreds of fans packed into CaroMont Health Park Thursday evening as the home team rounds the bases into a new season – and a new beginning.

It’s a moment that wasn’t guaranteed after the Gastonia Honey Hunters, which called G-Town home for three seasons, folded after winning their first division championship in 2023. But this is 2024, and General Manager Brady Salisbury says the Gastonia Baseball Club is geared for success – competitively and financially.

“If we win, I think we all win,” says Salisbury, “That’s what’s important at the end of the day.”

“They have every right to be weary, but now we have to give them a chance to buy back in, get that trust back, and move forward. That’s the only way we’re going to be successful.”

And longtime manager “Goose” Gozzo is feeling good about his new stripes.

“We feel the love,” Gozzo exclaims, “We feel the energy. We have a good product on the field. [We] just want to win more games than we lose and show some excitement for the fans from our side.”

It’s a welcome sight for those fans – and it’s a home run for local businesses in the downtown social district anchored by their hometown club.

Steve D’Avria – Senior VP, Gaston Business Association

“It’s a true anchor to the west part of the Gastonia Main Avenue and the district here,” says Steve D’Avria with the Gaston Business Association, “We’re continuing to grow, we’re continuing to see development.”

Zach Provost, the membership director at The Vintage, a cigar bar located downtown, agrees.

“We love it. When baseball was kicking last season, we saw some great crowds. We had a lot of people coming out for it. It really revitalizes and gets people out and about. So, having baseball back is huge for us.”

“There’s a buzz about the crowd. We’ll see more people,” Provost adds, “We have more activity going around all up and down Main Avenue.”

All the pieces are coming together at the right time, but the team needs your help with the most important part – they need a new name. The club will test new names and logos at different times this season, known as “What If” weekends.

“Fans are going to be able to see the logo, see the branding, see the merchandise, and we’re actually going to wear a uniform on the field here in a couple weeks, showcasing that whole idea,” says Salisbury.

“There are going to be eight different [“What If” weekends] throughout the season, so we want fans to partake in that and then next year choose our permanent brand.”

And this season ticket holder Huston Sheppard already has some bright ideas.

“I turned in the Gastonia Flames or the Gastonia Fire… Because we’re hot. This is G-Town right here. We’re hot.”