SAN ANTONIO — The McAllen Memorial Mustangs saw Game 1 of their best-of-three Region IV-5A final series slip away in a 10-1 loss against Leander Rouse on Friday at North East Stadium in San Antonio.
Game 2 between McAllen Memorial (26-16) and Leander Rouse (34-9-1) is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday at Jourdanton High School in Jourdanton. Game 3, if necessary, will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2.
The Mustangs drew first blood in the bottom of the first after Jose Rivera reached on a dropped third strike, advanced to second and scored off an Emilio Preza double to deep right-center for a 1-0 lead.
That was all the scoring the Mustangs managed, however, as they finished with two hits in the game, with Rivera claiming the other.
Leander Rouse broke open the game with a five-run third inning and four-run fifth to take full control in Game 1. The Mustangs aided the Raiders with four errors in seven innings.
“They’re a very good team, very balanced. We made some mistakes that cost us in the big inning that they scored five runs,” Memorial head coach Roque Cortinas said. “We knew we’re going to meet some good baseball teams this late in the postseason, so we’ll see what happens (today).”
Rouse’s Andrew Sanchez led the Raiders with 3-for-4 hitting and three RBI. Pitcher Gavin Silva allowed one earned run off two hits and one walk while striking out eight.
McAllen Memorial has now lost four games this postseason. After each of their previous losses, the Mustangs have bounced back with a win in the very next game. In order to keep its postseason run alive, McAllen Memorial must do so again in Game 2 against Leander Rouse to force a Game 3.
“We have to stay up and stay as positive as we can. We’ve been here before,” Cortinas said. “We’re having fun, doing something not a lot of people expected, so we’re going to stay fighting until the very end.”
