McALLEN — Natalie Mendoza, the only senior on the Brownsville Veterans Memorial softball team, hit three triples, knocked in multiple runs and brought the energy to help the Lady Chargers level their bi-district playoff series against the McAllen Rowe Lady Warriors with an 11-1 win Friday night.
“It feels great, I love it,” she said. “I love the position I am in. All of the honor and glory always goes to God. Being the only senior is a lot of pressure, but I love that. I love being able to carry my team, uplift them and being there for my team.”
Mendoza’s first RBI came in the top of the first inning after Reggie Santivanez doubled. Mendoza then scored on a hit by pitcher Rebekah Izeta, and Sofia Perez drove in Izeta to give the Lady Chargers a 3-0 lead.
“(Thursday’s Game 1) was rocky for all of us,” Mendoza said. “I did not make the contact I wanted (Thursday). (On Friday), I saw the ball, let it travel and did what I could for my team in the fourth spot.”
Rowe scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the first courtesy of a Katya Cantu double.
“Errors were the thing that did us in this game,” Rowe coach Aissa Hinojosa said. “Coming out (today) the name of the game is being able to play defense and eliminate those mistakes. Credit to Vets, they had stellar defense today and made some amazing plays.”
One of those plays came from center fielder Samantha Aguirre, who pulled off a stunning diving catch to help her team out of an inning. She also contributed on offense with a bases-clearing double, driving in two runs to make it 8-1.
Nahomi Garcia drove in Aguirre with a double to make it 9-1. Santivanez then brought in Garcia, and Mendoza gave her team the 10-run cushion with her third triple of the game, bringing in Santivanez.
Izeta finished off her outing in the circle strong during the bottom of the fifth inning to level the series at 1 and send it back to Brownsville for Game 3 at 6 tonight.
“These girls were ready for tonight,” Lady Chargers coach Heriberto Rodriguez said. “We had a little miscue in Game 1 and let it go, that is the way it goes. (Friday) they came back to make a statement. Our bats, pitching and defense were on fire (Friday night).”
