HARLINGEN — Harlingen South seniors might be experiencing senioritis in the classroom, but on the diamond they are helping lead the Hawks into the fourth round of the 5A playoffs.
Harlingen South is the first of the three remaining teams from the Valley to start its series when they take on Leander at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Cabaniss in Corpus Christi.
Harlingen South has four seniors on the team — Yezenia Perez, Natalie Martinez, Haley Vasquez and Emily Ruiz — playing a pivotal part in the Hawks’ success this year as they have established themselves as one of the best teams in South Texas.
The job might be done in the classroom as it typically is for seniors around this time of the year while they wait for graduation next week, but business on the softball field is far from done with the Hawks likely to face their biggest test of the playoffs so far.
Harlingen South head coach Joey Rios has been with these seniors the past three seasons after coming over from Lyford.
“Just seeing them grow as individuals and players overall has been a great sight,” Rios said. “Their mindset has changed since I came here. They were a little hesitant at first, but seeing them grow into their roles and not only grow, dominate those roles, and being the players that they are is a true testament to them.”
Ruiz is the latest Hawks player to sign to play college ball. Ruiz signed with Huston-Tillotson University out of Austin and will play NAIA softball next season.
Ruiz enjoyed her time in the Hawks’ program and, like the other seniors, is hoping to continue going.
“It has given me a lot of friends,” Ruiz said of the program. “It has been a place where I can escape from every thing else, so I have really just enjoyed being here and hanging out with my softball sisters.”
Ruiz is batting .379 with 36 hits, 30 RBIs and four home runs with a perfect fielding percentage from second base.
Joining Ruiz in the middle infield is Perez. The shortstop is a silent leader, Rios said, and when she speaks everyone listens.
Perez also is going to play college softball at OLLU, joining plenty of other girls from the Valley on the team.
“Since I have been here we have been really successful, and even the years before me,” Perez said. “It is a good program, a lot of hard -working girls come through here, everyone is super nice to each other and just good energy to be around.”
Vasquez echoed Perez’s sentiments of the program. Vasquez transferred from Harlingen High and said she was warmly welcomed at Harlingen South.
The senior catcher is another member of this Hawks team that will be playing at the next level. Vasquez is committed to Texas A&M Kingsville.
“It is just a big family here,” Vasquez said. “When you come in you are accepted and everybody gets along.”
Vasquez, a catcher, led off the seventh-inning rally against Corpus Christi Carroll with a hit. It was pivotal in helping the Hawks come back and win Game 3.
Martinez, a designated hitter on the team, also had a hit in the seventh inning against Carroll when the score was 5-4. Martinez is seeing the ball really well, extending her at-bats, and picking up walks and hits because of it.
Vasquez is the nine-batter and Martinez is the seven-batter in the lineup as the whole Hawks lineup threatens at the plate. It will need to against Leander.
“I have heard that they are a good team,” Martinez said. “But all teams are good. You just have to find that.”
The seniors all know what they have to do against a tough Leander team that finished third in its district but has only lost to teams from that district. Leander swept Buda Hays after finishing second behind it in District 25-5A.
District 25-5A champion Liberty Hill also is in the fourth round.
