The Purdy baseball team next spring will have something only one other Class 2 team in the state will have — two returning All-State players.

Junior infielder Ezequiel Garcia and junior outfielder Travis Hughes were named to the Class 2 Second Team.

This season, Hughes led the team in hits with 35, and Garcia led in RBI with 35. Both batted over .400. On the mound, Hughes played 11 games with 8 starts and 7 wins, posting an ERA of 1.925 and 51 strikeouts. Garcia played in 10 with 8 starts and 4 wins, finishing with an ERA of 2.315 and 75 strikeouts.

Hughes was excited to learn of his award, and what comes with it.

“I got the call from my dad when I was at home telling me I made the Second Team,” he said. “Making All-State has been a goal of mine in high school. I want to make First Team, but Second Team is just as important. I’m excited to see my name up on the board at school. Other kids will see that and hopefully think I am a good leader, and that makes me joyful and excited.”

Garcia said he was also excited to get the Second Team nod.

“I’m pretty happy about it because it was one of my goals as a sophomore and I didn’t quite get there,” he said. “I’m pretty proud of it this year and I look forward to getting batter and hopefully making the First Team next year.”

Hughes said over the course of the season, there were many memorable moments, but none have stuck with him like the district game against Galena.

“When we played Galena in the second round of districts, I pitched that game, and everyone kept coming up to me asking if I was ready,” he said. “I couldn’t get the butterflies out of my chest. That was a big moment and a lot of fun.”

Hughes pitched four of the game’s five innings in a 13-1 victory, allowing one hit and walking one, striking out five.

Garcia said his favorite memory was over the course of a week.

“We had two games where we came back from like eight runs down, and we did that in the same week,” he said. “It was against East Newton and Lamar. We walked it off in the seventh.”

The Eagles scored 6 with two outs against Lamar for the walk-off, and they scored 10 runs in the final two innings to defeat East Newton.

In winning the award, Hughes said extra effort into defense this year was key.

“I don’t think I had more than one error this season, and I put a lot of effort into making my game as close to flawless as possible defensively,” he said. “A .400 batting average also put me in position to make All-State.”

Garcia said for him, work ethic was what put him in the conversation.

“I think it was my drive,” he said. “I wanted to win, wanted to get better every day and always went hard in practice.”

To up-and-comers aiming for All-State recognition, Hughes said one thing is extra import ant — patience.

“Don’t get mad at yourself for not hitting the ball or making a play, because it will happen, and it will feel amazing when it does,” he said.

Garcia said again, work ethic is where it’s at.

“There’s always room to get better, and you always have to work hard and strive for perfection,” he said.

Joshua Hughes, Purdy baseball coach, said having the junior pair reach such heights this season bodes well for 2023.

“It’s huge,” he said. “They both grew baseball wise and as young men. They had great a great year for us, but what is just as big is we return eight starters with six of the eight multiple year starters. We have experience coming back in numerous positions and on the mound. I’m excited to see a possibility of more than two next year make it.”