HARLINGEN — Harlingen South looked flat for six innings as they trailed visiting Corpus Christi Carroll 4-1 with one final at bat in a decisive Game 3 Saturday afternoon.
The Hawks rallied in the top of the seventh to win 5-4 and advance to the fourth round of the Class 5A playoffs where they will meet Leander at a time and place yet to be determined.
“Definitely praising the Lord right now,” Hawks head coach Joey Rios said. “Knowing my walk, my journey and the things we have been through as a team, staff and program does not go wavered. Being able to hang tough, remain faithful and do the little things right pulled through.”
The chances of a comeback had to be slim, but they could have been slimmer if not for a few defensive stops by Harlingen South that kept the score down. The Hawks could have scored more runs also and had a few calls go against them.
Harlingen South always had a chance to comeback, no question, especially with the top of the order up after nine-batter senior Haley Vasquez.
The Hawks needed things to go their way and it did.
Vasquez did her part to start the inning strong with a strong hit. Yezenia Perez walked and Lexi Sandoval grabbed a single to load up the bases for Amira Rodriguez.
“I think it started a rally going and it started the girls going,” Vasquez said of her lead off single. Vasquez said she thrives in the pressure situations like her teammates and added that she stuck to her mechanics.
Rodriguez brought in a run on a sac-fly and then things … happened.
Senior Emily Ruiz hit what looked like a routine grounder to third with a runner on first and second that was mishandled, but the fielder recovered to tag the base. Carroll’s third baseman opted to throw out Ruiz, but missed wildly and then the first baseman had a bad throw to third.
Sandoval scored and Ruiz ended up at third when it was all said and done. Next up, Jaylin Mata.
Mata was nearly punched out, but Carroll’s pitcher just missed and on the next pitch Mata put it over the left fielder to tie the game.
“I thought of my seniors, and I thought of my team and I am like I got to do this for the seniors,” Mata said. “I put all of my effort into that.”
Carroll had a chance to make it out of the inning tied when Kailee Silva hit a pop fly high in the infield. The Tigers’ infielder could not make the catch and Mata scored.
The game was not over even though Harlingen South is the host. They flipped for home and visitor in Game 3, so Carroll had one last at bat in the bottom of the seventh against a determined Rodriguez.
Rodriguez clutched up to pick up the win and send the Hawks to Round 4 where they will face what looks like a really tough opponent in Leander next week.
“Before the seventh I held them up and said hey, we are the visiting team and we got three outs so lets come together and leave no stone unturned and lets make sure it is one at a time,” Rios said.
Photos by Andrew Cordero
