Zombies Invade San Bernardino

By: Samantha Carlson

Community Writer

Photo Courtesy of:

Samantha Carlson

Photo Description:

Melissa Negrette, Jeanna Ochoa, Seth Negrette and Luis Rueben walking into the stadium with zombie makeup.

At the San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, zombies were mingling among the patrons during the 66ers baseball game on Thursday, June 12th. Baseball goers who came had the opportunity to donate blood to Lifestream who sponsored jerseys that were “zombiefied” during the game. Joe Hudson, the general manager of the 66ers, shared that it was the second year they have held the zombie theme during the baseball season. Hudson said, “We enjoy having different themes, baseball is more than just baseball. We try to have themes to attract new and different crowds and to change the monotony of doing to same thing. By doing something like a promotion, it changes it up for our fan base.” There was music playing as patrons who dressed up like zombies staggered around the stadium. Jason Moore is a camera operator for the 66ers and brought his girlfriend Tori Riley to the event. They said it was their first time at the zombie apocalypse night. They wore slashed jeans with fake blood on them and Moore had a knife stuck in his leg. Employees of the 66ers dressed up as zombies whether they were ushers, cashiers, or a 66er hostess. Brian Felland and Jill Reimer were getting beverages from cashier, Deana Ayala who wore prosthetics on her face and chest as she was serving guests throughout the night. Before the game started, Zack Matus and Malik Crowell were wearing clothes that were splattered with blood and had makeup on their arms as they walked around the stadium mingling among the patrons. Joshua Roa-St. Pierre is the creative director for Haunted Roast House in Riverside and he built a haunted house specifically for the zombie event. While he was waiting to open the maze, he said, “We take zombie to a whole new level, we throw you in the middle of an infected zone and you will see anything from zombies to survivors.” The name of the haunted zone was Quarantine which, Roa-St. Pierre said, “is a government facility over run by zombies and people have to find the way out.” Four sisters, Mary Jane Panuco, Hailey Smith, Harley Smith, and Lucy Panuco were waiting in line for the maze and after they made their way through the maze amidst the walking dead and survivors, Hailey Smith said, “Oh my, that’s so scary!” While waiting for their dinner, Jessica Self and Steve Orosco shared, “Our neighbors invited us out and it’s thirsty Thursday, it’s great weather, it’s fun and you don’t have to drive far to see a baseball game.” The walking dead, avid 66er fans and patrons who were not infected watched a night of baseball while eating hot dogs and risking their life going through the Quarantine maze.