CORPUS CHRISTI — Harlingen South does not know when to give up.
The Hawks pulled off an another amazing comeback to win 10-7 in Game 2 to stay alive in the playoffs by forcing a Game 3 against Leander with a spot in the Region IV-5A final on the line.
Game 3 is set for 11 a.m. today at Cabaniss in Corpus Christi.
“I am thankful that I get to do this – I do not have to, I get to,” Harlingen South head coach Joey Rios said. “I am thankful that God has placed me here with this group of individuals and this coaching staff. Just a never ending fight. I continue to preach that to them and praise them for the little things because they matter. Kids nowadays need to hear words of affirmation … and if that is what God has placed me to do, I will do that. Not just win games, but continue to praise my kids.”
Rios said the comeback was what they have done all year, fight and that Hawks will continue to do that in Game 3.
Hawks sophomore Jaylin Mata walked it off with a three-run home run during the bottom of the eighth inning after the Hawks rallied in the sixth and seventh to tie the game at 7.
“It was crazy,” Mata said. “With all the adrenaline when I was in there, I was very confident. I needed to score the run, it was needed … let me hit I got this.”
Mata said she just wanted to make contact because there was only one out and a runner on third and first. Anything hit deep enough would have scored Lexi Sandoval.
“My team has put in a lot of effort. I love these girls, they are my family. I am glad we could do this together and fight to the very end,” Mata said. “We are on for tomorrow.”
Harlingen South senior Yezenia Perez drove in the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Hawks a chance to win the game in extra innings.
Leander baserunners capitalized on a couple of Harlingen South miscues to grab a 7-5 lead after both offenses exploded during the first inning. The Lions scored their runs after the Hawks went up 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth.
Harlingen South scored on a passed ball and could have added more runs, but the Hawks hit into a double play to end the inning. Leander jumped on the Hawks in the top of half of the first with four runs. Harlingen South responded in kind.
Hawks starting pitcher Amira Rodriguez blasted a two-run shot, and then Natalie Martinez drove in the next two with a single to tie it up after one inning.
Rodriguez, Martinez and Perez hit outstanding tonight and bounced back after Game 1, especially Martinez and Perez. Both went 0-for-3 in Game 1 and came up big for the Hawks Friday night.
Perez had two hits and Martinez went 3-for-4. Rodriguez also went 3-for-4 and scared Leander to pitch around her after smashing the home run. First baseman Kailee Silva also had a solid night at the plate going 1-for-2 with a walk.
Rios should be happy with how well his team hit. The Hawks put up 14 hits and a couple more because of errors by Leander, but he said giving up early runs need to change in Game 3.
“Game 3, let’s get it,” Rios said. “We are here to represent the 956 and doing every thing we can to represent anybody and everybody because there are a lot of great softball players in the Valley. We need to bust out and let it be known.”
