CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — College baseball started last week, and the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders return home with a (2-2) record. Starting Tuesday Corpus Christi hosts the University of Kansas, and one member of the Jayhawks staff is returning to the Coastal Bend for the first time since he graduated from the island.
For the third year in-a-row, the University of Kansas starts their season at Whataburger Field. This time they're playing Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. A special homecoming for the Jayhawks' new Director of Baseball Operations and former Islander baseball player, Luke Marbach.
"They were kind of the only school that bet on me at a young age out of high school," Marbach said. "Took the chance, came in as a walk-on and didn't regret one bit of it."
Marbach played in the outfield and at first base prior to earning his Masters degree at TAMU-Corpus Christi.
"An unbelievable ambassador of Islander athletics, and just whether it was community service, whether it was in the classroom and obviously on the field," Scott Malone, Islanders baseball head coach, said. "He's just the guy you want out front."
He learned a lot from head coach Scott Malone, most important to be personable.
"Super close with him and stay in contact with him every single day," Marbach said. "Just kind of allows you to really take a step back and not get too uptight about things."
Back at Whataburger Field, Marbach remembers being part of an Islanders team that defeated the University of Texas in Corpus Christi 8-2 or the first time in program history in 2019. However, Malone remembers another moment that made Marbach 'Captain America'.
"He talks about beating Texas," Malone said. "I'll never forget beating Ohio State, and not just the win. It's all about the win, but Luke had a walk-off homerun. Opposite field, wrapped around the pole, controversial and it was a huge crowd here that night."
Although Marbach is not coaching, it's going to be a special moment against the Islanders.
"Just being in the dugout across from him (Malone) will be kind of a really cool, neat experience that I'll cherish for a while," Marbach said. "Go Islanders, but more importantly go Jayhawks!"
The Islanders and Jayhawks face-off on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Whataburger Field. Then starting Friday Corpus Christi hosts the annual Kleberg Bank College Classic, also at Whataburger Field. The Islanders will play Maryland, Washington and Pittsburgh.
This week is going to be, it's what this job was supposed to be when I took it," Malone said."Try to make baseball bigger and better. Try to make Islanders bigger and better, and try to open Whataburger Field to the college baseball fan. This town loves baseball. This is what this week is going to be."
2024 Whataburger Field College Baseball Schedule
Illinois-Chicago vs. Kansas
Fri, Feb 16 at 6:30 p.m.
Sat, Feb 17 at 3 p.m.
Sun, Feb 18 at 1 p.m.
A&M-Corpus Christi vs. Kansas
Tue, Feb 20 at 6 p.m.
Kleberg Bank College Classic
Fri, Feb 23, Washington vs. Pitt at 2 p.m. & Maryland vs. A&M-CC at 6 p.m.
Sat, Feb 24, Pitt vs. Maryland at 2 p.m. & Washington vs. A&M-CC at 6 p.m.
Sun, Feb 25, Maryland vs. Washington at 11 a.m. & Pitt vs. A&M-CC at 3 p.m.
Abilene Christian vs. A&M-Corpus Christi
Sat, Mar 2 at 6:30 p.m.
