As the dark skies dim the afternoon, the combination of green ‘Cedar Park Baseball’ shirts and white baseball pants flood the parking lot. Boys pile into cars, drive past their deconstructed home field and off to the batting cages. 

With scrimmages kicking off the season, the varsity baseball team is adjusting to the reality of currently having no home ballpark to practice or play at. The 2023 LISD bond included updates to all ballparks in the district, except Glenn, with the removal of natural grass for artificial grass. Currently, the ribbon cutting for the field is scheduled for Feb. 15. 

“Our players have attacked this challenge,” Head Coach Ben Huffman said. “We’re just having to shift locations from a day to day basis. [But], the boys come out and wherever and whatever we’re doing they just try to get better every day.” 

The team had tryouts at Glenn and is currently splitting the field of their opponents on two different days during the week for scrimmages. Along with a lack of consistent field locations, the team is learning how to adjust to a brand new coaching staff. 

“I feel like they’ve adjusted pretty well,” Huffman said. “I know it was a hard loss for them, losing their head coach and their varsity assistant. I think Coach Perez and I have done a really good job coming in here and connecting with the kids. Just trying to show them that we’re here for them and we’re going to work with them.” 

Sophomore shortstop and third baseman Hudson Cuevas is taking on a large leadership role as he was the only freshman on a varsity team that lost 16 seniors last year. 

“I know the taste of what varsity looks like and what it takes to get there,”  Cuevas said.
“So, I’m just encouraging all the young guys to work hard and you’ll eventually get there.”
Cuevas said one the hardest parts of practicing at D-Bats and on the grass fields is that it is more individual work than focused on team practices. With less than 10 players returning to varsity from last year, the first two scrimmages proved crucial to developing new chemistry. 

“We haven’t been doing much on the days we are at the grass field,” Cuevas said. “It’s been very individual, so it’s been a little difficult. But, we’ve made the best of our surroundings.” 

The team finished the 2024 season with a 28-8-2 record, failing to meet their goal of beating Rouse in the third round of playoffs. However, senior captain and pitcher Kyle McClure said their goal this year is getting a young team prepared for the coming years. 

“[We hope] just to build a good foundation and good team spirit,” McClure said. “[The seniors last year] just taught me so many great lessons. Just through our trials and tribulations of last year, I think they just taught me how to be a better teammate and leader for the younger guys this year. ” 

Cuevas said he is feeling good about the season despite the adversity. The team will finish scrimmage play on Feb. 17 and start district play on March 11, with several tournaments in between. Cuevas said he is feeling good about the season despite the adversity as the team continues to lean on the three senior captains. 

“They’ve gone from JV up, and senior year they want to go win a state championship,” Cuevas said. “They’ve been encouraging and all they want to do is win, so they are just trying to keep everyone on track to go win.”