ROBSTOWN, Texas — A Coastal Bend Tidal Wave player is not playing far from her hometown.
Rock Benavides, a Corpus Christi native, is an infielder for the Tidal Wave. She graduated from Veterans Memorial High School and played for Florida State University and the University of Houston in college.
The Tidal Wave, a new Women's Professional Fastpitch team, announced earlier this month that she would be joining the roster.
She made her home debut on Thursday and got a hit as the Tidal Wave fell to the Smoke, 4-2.
She talked about what it was like playing in front of girls that could one day realize their dream of playing pro softball.
"I'm in the position that I am right now as, you know, a professional softball player but I was also once, you know, a South Texas kid at nine, eight years old," Benavides said. "So, I get to, on the coaching side, I get to tell them, you know, 'Hey, I've been in your shoes and look where I've gotten.'"
Benavides' head coach, Blake Miller, talked about the game day atmosphere as she got her first hit at home.
"It was fun seeing her go out yesterday," Miller said. "Her first at bat here, she hits a little line drive over first base and everybody was so excited for her."
Benavides was retired from softball for two years. She was still coaching the game before she was recruited by the Tidal Wave.
She is is one of 17 players on the roster, including another one from the Valley. The players come from Division I softball programs across the country, including the Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference.