LA JOYA — This is not last year’s team, La Joya head coach Carlos Rodriguez said after his Coyotes defeated Los Fresnos 10-0 in Game 1 of a bi-district playoff series Thursday night in La Joya.
The Coyotes jumped on the Falcons and never looked back to pick up the run-rule finish in the fifth inning.
“We have not talked about last year,” Rodriguez said. “We are a new team, this year’s team … like we talk about every game, the game starts 0-0 again, so we should be ready to go.”
La Joya High’s Arlette Hernandez finished the game off in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single. Hernandez also struck out 11 batters in the circle.
Rodriguez was coy about starting Hernandez tomorrow despite only throwing 85 pitches in Game 1.
“We will make that decision in the morning,” Rodriguez said.
The District 31-6A champs have been here before. The Coyotes won Game 1 last season only to lose the next two.
Rodriguez is right, this is a new team and they look poised for a deep run.
The Coyotes went off in the second inning, putting up seven runs. After Brianna Salazar drove in two runs with a triple, Jordan Reyes hit the first of three straight home runs for La Joya High.
“It felt really good, surprised me because I have not hit one in a while,” Reyes said. “When I hit it, I just felt it.”
Hernandez hit the next one, deep to center and then Alayali Alaniz followed it up to put the Coyotes up 8-0. Hernandez was appreciative of the early run support, allowing her to relax in the circle.
“The defense played really good tonight,” Hernandez said. “There was a lot of ground balls and we have been practicing that all year long.”
Reyes shined at shortstop and was there for many of those grounders.
“I think [the win] puts us in a really good spot and it boosted all of our morals,” Reyes said. “Everyone that came to see us saw a good game and I think this just helps us going into the next game.”
La Joya High’s Liani Rodriguez went 2-2 with an RBI and Mellinda Veloz also went 2-2 with an RBI to help give the Coyotes go up 1-0 in the series.
Game 2 is at 7 p.m. Friday at Los Fresnos High School.
