The EPCC Tejanos may be in the middle of a playoff race, but the players and coaches are excited about an upcoming game that doesn’t even count in the standings.
The Tejanos will meet the El Paso Diablos in a couple of exhibition games on May 5-6 at Cohen Stadium starting at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for the general public but EPCC students can attend the games for free.
Tejanos coach Shannon Hunt feels the games against the Diablos will benefit his players.
“It prepares us well for the type of teams you have to beat in the playoffs. So I think all in all, it’s a very good situation that’s set up to benefit us. It’s a win-win situation for us.”
Hunt stresses that the opportunity to face a professional team has nothing to do with the final score, but what his players get out of it.
“I’m not concerned with winning the games, I’m concerned with how we play,” said Hunt.
Hunt certainly hopes his team plays well this weekend when they meet New Mexico Military Institute for two games in Roswell this Friday and two more games at Tejanos Field on Saturday.
The home games on May 3 get underway at noon.
The Tejanos are two games up in the race for the final playoff spot with just four games remaining.
“If we win two of the last four games, we’re in. Then we can talk about playoffs all we want,” said Hunt.
Though the focus is on making the playoffs, the Diablos game may be the only opportunity for many of the EPCC players to take on a pro team.
EPCC’s Jon Coyne is excited about his upcoming game against the Diablos.
“It’s a dream come true to play against a minor league team. You feel like a pro when you play against them,” said Coyne.
Diablos coach Butch Henry, who was a pitcher in Major League Baseball for seven years, had a similar outlook on the games.
“It’s not necessarily about who wins or loses for me, it’s about getting my guys some reps against a good ball club,” said Henry.
According to Henry, playing the Tejanos is a great opportunity for his team as well.
“The reality is that we have very few opportunities to play other teams before the season starts, unlike some of the other teams in the American Association,” he said. “El Paso is on an island compared to some of these other teams that have opposing teams 30-45 minutes away. Our closest opponents are 600 miles.”
Their geographic location forces the Diablos to stay close to home.
“Basically it’s easier for us to find people locally and the Tejanos are here for us to play,” he said.
Henry said he feels good about his current lineup.
“I’ve got a lot of guys that were all-stars and good players last year that are coming back this year,” he said.
“I’ve got last year’s American Association’s most valuable player, Jorge Alvarez.”
Henry had some words of encouragement for the students participating in the college baseball program.
“They just need to keep playing and working hard,” he said.
And the Tejanos have done just that, winning nine of the last 12 games.
Hunt praised his team for their effort this season.
“I’m proud of the kids for what they’ve done lately. They’ve really played well,” said Hunt.
“I’m proud of the opportunity to be here.”
