CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The weather might have been a little cold on the first day of baseball practice, but that was not going to keep all the baseball players in Texas from practicing on the field for the first time this season. Especially Veterans Memorial high school, a team that found a lot of success last season, ending with a district championship.
The Veterans Memorial Eagles have a lot do be excited about on the first day of practice being ranked No. 7 in 5A according to THSB magazine.
“Ah it’s a good day," Lee Yeager, Veterans Memorial baseball head coach, said. "It’s like Christmas for most kids.”
Now they’ve got to earn it. Last year, they fell short in the second round of playoffs. This season they’ve added some depth on defense.
“Our pitching staff is something that we’re going to be leaning on early,” Yeager said.
Senior returners like Zakory Garcia and Ryan Johnson. As well as newly added pitcher Adin Ruiz and Jordan Garza.
“I mean we have a lot of great guys that are going to come in. It’s really exciting," Ryan Johnson, Veterans Memorial senior right-handed pitcher, said. "We got a lot of guys who can work, so I’m really excited what they can do on the mound and help us out.”
“We don’t have a lot of guys back that had 60-plus at-bats, so we’re going to have to figure out a way to kind of grow those guys as we go," Yeager said. "I think our pitching staff will hold us down.”
The Eagles will be adding some fresh faces in the infield, but they will have help from an experienced senior, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi signee shortstop Damon Hernandez.
“My job this year is I’m going to have to take charge of this infield, the team," Hernandez said. "I’ve got to be a leader this year.”
Veterans Memorial returns 7 starters with playoff experience, and if guys compete the Eagles have another chance to find success.
“We’re going to be different this year," Hernandez said. "A lot better. A lot more pitching. It’s going to be fun to watch.”
The Eagles start their season with a scrimmage against Eagle Pass on Wednesday, February 7 in Jourdanton at 6 p.m.
“Just keep supporting us," Johnson said. "Keep coming to our games, and like I want to go to Dell Diamond. Let’s go!”
