Finally able to see the way to what I felt from the start had to be the answer -- because of "facet," and from seeing the DIA at the end of my name, and MO(U)ND. I initially kept my sliding to only the open base paths -- BRUINS, even though it was out of whack thematically; HOMERUNS; and STAGE, which would be an alternative to the
ARENA clue. Ben's clarification of baseball-theme words helped me know those were involved. I did so want to include
SPIT as one of them :) but in the end I had to leave that activity to the
EMUS.