Years of hard work and dedication came to fruition on Thursday night as the Auckland Tuatara hosted their first game at QBE Stadium.
On what should have been a solely joyous occasion, the club came into their Australian Baseball League season opener against the Perth Heat with mixed emotions following the sudden death of teammate Ryan Costello earlier in the week.
Instead of simply eagerness and excitement, feelings of grief filtered through the camp - with those emotions clear on the faces of players as the stadium observed a moment's silence in Costello's honour - the Tuatara players with the letters 'RC' emblazoned in bold white letters on the right side of their chests.
After a tough week, the team would have likely relished the opportunity to step onto the diamond on an historic evening for baseball in New Zealand. Unfortunately, the Heat also came to make it a night to remember.
