By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Three coaches in three years, numerous seasons without a district and a schedule with nearly as many games as players on its roster.
Needless to say, a rough history has shown through for an 0-8 St. Joseph Academy baseball team which has had its unfair share of setbacks.
First-year coach Christian Putegnat and a quartet of seniors are trying to change that precedent this season, however, and for future seasons to come.
“It’s been rough for the last three or four years for the baseball team,” Putegnat said. “We’ve had several coaches. (The seniors) got the raw end of the deal with consistency. We’re trying to form some consistency with the younger guys and build from there.”
Putegnat, also the defensive coordinator for the football team, is the third coach in as many years for the Bloodhounds but he plans to stick around longer than just a season on the diamond.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I’ll be here for a while.”
With a concrete presence at coach, St. Joseph hopes to build the program up with the likes of the football and basketball teams. But this season is the last for Garza and and his fellow seniors, so they want to do their part.
“The team’s very, very young … more than half are freshmen and sophomores,” senior Adrian Garza said. “This season is to get them into game situations and get more practice. We as seniors have to show them how to play. Our roles will be to encourage them.”
Garza, a four-year varsity player, will be depended on at third base and on the mound for the Bloodhounds. With only a few pitchers on the team, he expects to see the rotation turn frequently.
“I don’t see it as pressure, it’s a responsibility,” he said of what should be an increased role on the mound. “I don’t mind it, honestly, I just want to help out the team.”
Putegnat is still learning in his first season and the seniors are trying to learn from him. The joint effort will hopefully set the standard for the program in years to come.
“The seniors and I have to maintain focus throughout the week and (work on) keeping focus through all the practices and games,” Putegnat said. “I think they’ve already delivered on the mindset for the young kids. They showed the young kids what it’s going to take.”
St. Joseph hopes to start an interest for baseball at a younger age, particularly at the middle-school age so by the time kids get to high school they’re ready to compete for the varsity team. The academy did the same with football and basketball several years ago and now each is thriving.
Garza and his fellow seniors have one final season to put the program on the map. They hope that it’s the start of something special and will be in years to come.
“We have to leave everything on the field,” he said. “It’s not a baseball school and it’s kind of sad. It would be nice for them to reintroduce the sport; a lot of people don’t know we have baseball.
“We hope that they can carry on what we’ve taught them. I have a lot of faith in Coach (Putegnat).”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.