Usually at SBC Park, the bleacher section is the loudest, most rowdy section in the stadium as the sounds of their constant heckling of opposing left fielders provide a background track for the action on the field.

However, on April 25, it was a lowly section, way up on the third deck, that provided the noise and cheers that energized the crowd as section 331 became ground zero for College Night.

At least 15 SF State students joined contingents from Stanford, USF, UC Berkeley, and just about every other major Bay Area college to root for the Giants and enjoy a night out watching America's pastime.

“All the seats are good so you can’t have a bad time,” said freshman Jenna McNaulty, who added that while she thought more SF State students would show up, a good amount of her fellow Gators did attend.

McNaulty’s friend and fellow freshman Megan Ryan said she was also pleasantly surprised by the turnout.

“I actually expected there to be less because at the sporting events (on campus), there aren’t that many so it’s nice to see so many people,” said Ryan after staring intently at J.T. Snow during his at-bat.

Tickets, which usually cost $17, were available to college students for $5.

Freshmen Mary Ward residents Heather Smith and Sklyer Junget made sure they wouldn’t miss the opportunity to see a major league game for less than the price of a power-sized Jamba Juice.

“(All over) the dorms they had posters,” said Smith, who brought a sign proclaiming the greatness of Giants pitcher Noah Lowry. “We would have went last September, but they didn’t have posters (in the dorms) or anything.”

For Junget, College Night gave him the opportunity to see a game at SBC Park for the first time.

“It’s nice; I’m really impressed,” said Junget from a seat that provided unobstructed views of the action on the field and the shimmering lights of Oakland reflecting off the bay. “You can see everything perfectly.”

Dormmates and friends Kimberlee Young, Atzimba Sierra and Dayna Hajili were also part of the Mary Ward contingent.

“We’re having fun!” said Young excitedly. “It’s been a really good game.”

Young and Sierra, cheerleaders for SF State, were putting their cheering skills to a good use by rooting for the Giants.

For Hajili, this wasn’t just her first Giants game, but her first baseball game ever.

“It’s cool (because) I’ve never been to a baseball game, so I don’t have anything to compare (it) to,” Hajilli said. “It’s different. I usually go to hockey games and (baseball has a different) pace. They don’t stop the game every 15 minutes for fighting.”

College Night also provided students with yet another excuse to take a study break.

“It’s nice to get away from the books,” Sierra said.

Students were encouraged to wear their school colors, and some, like McNaulty - wearing a purple SF State sweater - did. But, most chose to display their love for the Major League team of their choice, be it the Giants or teams such as the A’s, Padres or Dodgers.

However, there were a good number of students who did choose to represent their school, and the ones who didn’t - ranging from a girl who held up a “J.T. Snow can plow me anytime!” sign to one who simply had “The Padres are neat-o” on her T-shirt - still found a way to display their college nature.

Even though the Giants fell to the Padres 5-3, the wild enthusiasm of the college students made the night fun. The Padres fans would start a “Let’s go Padres” chant only to get drowned out by “Let’s go Giants.” In fact, most of the spontaneous chants and rhythmic clapping that make attending a game the fun, interactive experience it is, were started by the College Night section.

The score and the game became almost secondary to the mingling and friendly smack-talking students with varying pro and college allegiances were engaging in.

When a Dodger fan, decked out in Dodger blue, walked up to confront some Giants fans who were heckling him, the Giants fan took the Dodger fan’s hat off and threw it on the ground. Security had to call in back-up in preparation for a classic Giant-Dodger fan brawl. However, in the fun-loving nature of the night, the incident ended up in hugs and high-fives as they joined forces to harass Padres fans.

“We’re definitely coming back (next time),” Young said.

The team has another College Night planned on Tuesday, September 21.