Hardball 2016: South Texas Baseball & Softball Preview
In South Texas, baseball is king
Baseball ‘a way of life’ for people from the area
For the longest time, South Texas has been synonymous with quality high school baseball.
Strong rivalries. Playoff appearances. State championships. Large crowds in venues barely equipped to handle the gate.
High school players, many perhaps smaller in stature compared with their football, basketball and track and field classmates, become instant celebrities because the sport has become so ingrained in the South Texas psyche.
That knowledge is commonplace. But why is baseball South Texas’ pastime?
Making their mark
Sinton’s Adrian Alaniz and Veterans Memorial’s Lee Yeager take on new challenges this season
The two toughest coaching jobs in sports might be taking over a program from a legend and building a new one from scratch.
Lee Yeager and Adrian Alaniz have deep baseball roots in South Texas, but as the 2016 season begins these two have tough tasks ahead of them that both are more than willing to take.
Alaniz is taking over at Sinton for his mentor, longtime and legendary Sinton coach Gene Kasprzyk, who helped make the Pirates a South Texas power during his 30-year reign of the baseball program in the San Patricio County seat.
Yeager, meanwhile, returns to Corpus Christi to lead the new baseball program at Veterans Memorial, a place where he might be able to temper expectations for only so long considering his successful history coaching a few miles away at Carroll.
But these types of jobs are why these baseball men got into coaching, a chance to make their mark.
Robstown playing in honor of Castro
Cotton Pickers dedicating 2016 season to coach
At Cotton Picker Field it’s not hard to notice this season will have special meaning for the Robstown baseball team.
It has been more than three months since the passing of former Robstown coach Steve Castro, and as the 2016 regular season is a few weeks from beginning, head coach Elias Vasquez wants to make sure the man who coached him and coached so many others in Robstown will be remembered in his hometown.
“It feels kind of different,” said senior Ryan Garza. “We are so used to him looking at us here at practice. Even though he didn’t coach us, his coaching presence was still there. The tradition around him kind of motivated us a little bit more to practice harder. We practice hard, but it’s kind of different without him.”
Spotlight On...
Berglund, Baltierra, Garcia, Cardona, Van Ness
Berglund seeks to spark Carroll back to the top
School: Carroll
Years on varsity: Four
2015 recognition and awards: Berglund was the District 28-6A Utility Player of the Year and was a first-team selection on the All-South Texas team as a third baseman.
2015 statistics: Hit .308 with 35 RBIs, 24 runs scored and four home runs.
Calallen’s Baltierra displays flair, hustle on field
School: Calallen
Class: Senior
Years on varsity: Three
2015 Recognition and awards: Baltierra was a first-team selection on the All-South Texas Baseball team; a first-team selection by the THSBCA, and was a first-team selection on the 30-5A All-District team as a second baseman.
Robstown’s Garcia taking charge in senior year
School: Robstown
Class: Senior
Years on varsity: Four
2015 recognition and awards: Garcia was the District 31-4A MVP and a first-team selection on the All-South Texas baseball team.
Return to state final fuels Cardona’s toughness
School: Bishop
Class: Senior
Years on varsity: Three in Bishop (played freshman year at Kingsville)
2015 recognition and awards: Cardona was a first-team selection as a pitcher on the District 29-3A team a year ago, and a second-team selection as a pitcher on the All-South Texas team.
Van Ness takes care of business from mound
School: Refugio
Class: Senior
Years on varsity: Four
2015 recognition and awards: First-team pitcher on the 31-2A All-District team, also received all-state recognition by the TSWA and THSBCA.
High School Baseball Capsules
Class 6A Baseball Preview Capsules
Class 5A Baseball Preview Capsules
Class 4A Baseball Preview Capsules
Moody grad Perales ready for job at alma mater as softball coach
The goals for the Moody softball team remain unchanged even if the face leading the program is different for the first time in more than a decade.
That new face is not unfamiliar with Moody, though.
Richard Perales not only coached at Moody the last three years as an assistant softball coach but also played baseball for the school, including playing in the state tournament for the Trojans in 1983. His brothers and other relatives graduated from the school, he bleeds Moody blue and is well aware of the expectations that come with leading one of the area’s top softball programs.
Salinas up for challenge of starting new program
Q&A with new Veterans Memorial softball coach Paula Salinas
Paula Salinas built a legacy at Moody that included winning or sharing 11 straight district championships, but now she takes over the new program at Veterans Memorial. Salinas talks about the decision to leave Moody, the struggles of starting a program and the expectations of that program.
WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU STARTING A NEW PROGRAM?
“It’s been a handful of things, it’s been getting to know the girls. It’s been doing a lot of teaching, them trying to understand me and know what kind of coach I am and what I’m expecting. It’s been a lot of that. It’s actually been really good. The girls have been coming out and practicing hard and just going over a lot of the fundamental stuff.”
HOW HARD WAS IT FOR YOU TO LEAVE MOODY?
“Moody was my home for 14 years. It was actually one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. I know a lot of people were asking why. But it was a decision that was more about my family, something I did for my family. It was very hard to leave Moody. I love Moody, and
I love my girls. I loved my teams, I loved my (team’s) parents … everything in that community was awesome for me. It was especially hard because I knew we were going to have a good team this year. I knew we didn’t lose many last year. That was going to be hard. I think the hardest part this year is I’m gonna have to see them on the other side.”
Spotlight On...
Mayo, Warnke, Flores, Gomez, Castillo, De Los Santos
Carroll’s Mayo all business when it comes to softball
School: Carroll
Class: Junior
Years on varsity: Three
2015 Recognition and awards: Was a first-team selection on the All-South Texas softball team and the District 28-6A Most Valuable Player in 2015.
Warnke: bonding key to success with young team
School: Flour Bluff
Years on varsity: Four
2015 Recognition and awards: Warnke was a first-team selection on the 30-5A All-District team and earned a first team spot on the All-South Texas Softball Team.
Flores making state tournament a top priority
School: Beeville
Years on varsity: Two
Class: Sophomore
2015 Recognition and awards: Was the District 31-4A co-Most Valuable Player in 2015 and a third-team selection on the All-South Texas team.
Santa Gertrudis Academy pitchers set tone for season
Celestial Gomez
Class: Senior
Years on varsity: Four
What will be the key to success for you and your team this season? “The key to success for our team this season will be playing to our fullest potential. We are our harshest critics. The hard work has been put in. It’s time for us to simply play the game and give it all we have.”
Saidi Castillo
Class: Sophomore
Years on varsity: Two
What will be the key to success for you and your team this season?: ”Working hard and playing our ‘A’ game every game.”
Jacqueline De Los Santos
Class: Sophomore
Years on varsity: Two
What will be the key to success for you and your team this season?: ”Practicing hard and leaving everything we got on the field. Never giving up and finishing strong.”
High School Softball Capsules
Class 6A Baseball Preview Capsules
Class 5A Baseball Preview Capsules
Class 4A Baseball Preview Capsules
Class 3A Baseball Preview Capsules
Class 2A/Private Schools Baseball Preview Capsules