CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A few Coastal Bend baseball players are putting in work at the Oso Park Complex before going back to college. It's hard to find a place to practice over the offseason, but the best part is seeing the local talent come together.
"We're building a community out here," Marley Bernal, St. Edward's pitcher and 2022 Moody grad, said. "I mean we have guys that are not just from the Corpus Christi area."
Brian Buchanan graduated from Bishop High School in 2023. The pitcher's goal this summer is finding the zone, and live batting practice has been a great way to test what he's been training.
"You never know who's going to come through the gate," Buchanan said. "You know Nick Flores was here today. I never got to face him high school. I didn't face him today, but you know it's nice catching up with people. Talking about where they're going to college. Giving them some tips and stuff."
He is not the only Coastal Bend pitcher in the Division II Lone Star Conference. Buchanan will face Flour Bluff 2022 grad Nash Villegas and Bernal from Moody.
"We're going to have our fair share of battles for sure," Bernal said. "Especially being in the Lone Star, so I think it's going to be real fun playing against them this year."
Recent graduates from Corpus Christi ISD joined in, including Veterans Memorial pitcher Adin Ruiz and King catcher and home run hitter Drew Garcia.
"Oh I love going against Drew," Villegas said. "He's a young kid from King. He's going to Blinn. I love facing him. I talk a lot of mess to him, so it's fun facing him and striking him out today."
The best part for most of these athletes is practicing somewhere familiar and close to home.
"You know it's weird coming back here," Villegas said. "Seeing how small the field was because when I was 13 or 14 this field was huge, but coming back here and just pitching here all of the time it's awesome. Just being able to go back to where you're from, your roots, and keep playing baseball there."
