They still represent Jacksonville on the diamond, but baseball players Maguire Lewis and Vasco Sutton have traded in the Cardinals’ gear for Ospreys’ fits.

The two soon-to-be Jacksonville High graduates have joined the third-year summer collegiate baseball team as they look to get a taste of higher-level competition before they play in college.

And so far, both former local standouts have enjoyed the experience.

“It’s fun,” Sutton said. “I wanted to play for the Ospreys and coach let me play so I could get exposed to some better forms and talent. It’s a win-win.”

“It’s super awesome to be out there, meeting a bunch of new guys from all over the place, doing something you love and doing something for the community,” he said. “The goal is to continue to get bigger and stronger and to work on the little things that make a big difference.”

Adding to this summer collegiate experience is that the duo continues to play for their high school coach Josiah Zamora, in his second season as the Ospreys’ skipper.

“He’s a great coach and it’s great to be around him,” Lewis said.

Lewis and Sutton have been two key cogs in Jacksonville advancing to the third round of the NCHSAA playoffs the last two seasons.

Sutton batted .366 with 21 runs, 20 RBIs, 11 doubles, four home runs and 11 stolen bases and was 2-3 with a 3.56 earned run average and 71 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings. Lewis faces some struggles at the plate, but still scored 13 runs, drove in seven and hit five doubles and was 3-2 with a 3.32 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings.

The seniors helped the Cardinals go 12-11 amid playing in one of the state’s toughest conferences.

But while Lewis and Sutton are soaking in a more relaxed baseball atmosphere,, they also understand they have work to do before the end of the summer.

Sutton will be catching at Brunswick Community College and Lewis will pitch at Lenoir Community College.

“In high school, the stuff is obviously not as good as here,” Sutton said. “So, just being able to get used to that and be comfortable helps.”

It sure does, Lewis added.

“It shows you what it’s like at a different level and where you need to be at,” he said.

Zamora looks for his two former Cardinals to take advantage of seeing better competition.

“The biggest thing for Vasco is seeing game speed behind the plate. We want him to get comfortable to where he can go out and translate what he learned to make an immediate impact in the fall,” Zamora said. “For Maguire, we want to see his durability and how quickly he can recover. If he can pitch the way he knows how to pitch, he’s going to be in a good spot before he gets to Lenoir.”

Chris Miller can be contacted via email at cmiller@jdnews.com. Follow him on X @jdnsports.