Baseball seniors preparing for final postseason run
May 19, 2009
Candice Eng, Texas Media Relations As Texas Baseball gets ready for postseason action, six seniors head into the final stretch of their college playing days. Michael Torres, Travis Tucker, Austin Wood, Keith Shinaberry, Hunter Harris and Preston Clark will be donning their Longhorn jerseys for the last times. “It’s emotional, and it’s something to take pride in,” Clark said. “Just being relaxed and having a good time with this team has been a great experience.” Despite their different backgrounds and experiences, they've all found a common link in baseball to build their relationships. “We’re a very diverse group of seniors,” Wood said. “We have very different personalities, but we mesh. We’ve become great friends and that’s all you can ask for.” They’re more than just friends and teammates. This senior class has led the way on the practice field, played through good times and bad, and they grew up together. “It’s a brotherhood out here. We have a lot of close bonds,” Torres said. “Even though we’ll still come back and be able to see the guys, it won’t be the same not playing together anymore.” Through all the moments they’ve shared together on the Forty Acres, it’s hard to pinpoint the thing they’ll miss most as their college days draw to an end. “I’m going to miss everything, the people and the swagger that goes along with it,” Tucker said. “This is the most unbelievable place -- the best coaching staff and the best facilities. It’s been the best experience in my life.”
With their futures ahead of them, the seniors hope to someday give back to the program that’s shaped the many aspects of their lives. “I will be forever in debt to this program and the University for giving me so much, and allowing me to accomplish what I wanted to on and off the field,” Shinaberry said. Though they’ve celebrated senior day and clinched a regular season Big 12 title, the end is nowhere in sight just yet. “It’s definitely weird thinking that college baseball is coming to and end,” Torres said. “But we think we have a lot of baseball left so we’re not thinking about it too much.” This group of Texas seniors has already found the place where they want to say goodbye. “Hopefully, we end this season with a trip to Omaha,” Wood said. “That would be a fitting end.” |
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