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CORPUS CHRISTI — Sharyland Pioneer got off to a shaky start in Game 1 of its Region IV-5A semifinal playoff series against Buda Johnson on Thursday at Cabaniss Baseball Field.
By the bottom half of the first inning, however, the Diamondbacks were surging full-speed ahead.
The Diamondbacks scored 11 unanswered runs to defeat the Jaguars 11-2 and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three Sweet 16 series.
Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. tonight. Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled for noon Saturday. Both will take place at Cabaniss Baseball Field in Corpus Christi.
“We were down 2-0 early on but we didn’t let that affect us. We hadn’t even come up to hit, so we knew our bats were going to do damage today,” senior shortstop Juan Rivera said. “We were able to execute and keep them going from the first inning to the end of the game.”
After tying the game at 2 during the first, the Diamondbacks’ bats stayed hot while the Jaguars cooled off.
Pioneer posted a four-run second inning and a five-run third to take a commanding lead.
Senior third baseman Oscar Serna hit a grand slam after two walks and a hit by pitch to push PIoneer in front 6-2 during the second. The Diamondbacks followed with RBIs from Joshua Benitez and Santiago Ortiz, scored another run after an error on a Rivera single and received a two-run blast from Ryan Garza over the left field fence during the third.
“I came in telling them to not hang their heads because we got sticks and we’re going to put them to use,” Serna said after the Diamondbacks trailed 2-0. “To win a ball game, you have to score runs and that’s what we’re going to do. Thankfully we showed up and had eight hits and scored 11 runs.”
“It’s about staying within ourselves and not doing too much. We’re capable of putting up some numbers, we just have to be a little more consistent throughout the whole game,” Pioneer head coach Shawn Moes said.
Serna finished 3-for-3 with five RBIs, two runs scored and the grand slam. Rivera went 2-for-3 with three runs.
Starting pitcher Angel Larrañaga found his rhythm after surrendering runs on a bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly during the first. He finished with a line of two earned runs off one hit, four walks and seven strikeouts across seven innings.
“My teammates were supporting me. They told me, ‘Let’s go. You got this,’” Larrañaga said. “1 through 9, we’re the best team in the Valley. We’re the best team offensively, defensively. We have two games to win one and the next game is the most important.”
Buda Johnson is likely to send its ace Cody Templeton to the mound for Game 2.
“They’re not going to lay down. They’re going to come at us tomorrow with their best guy; he’s put up some big numbers,” Moes said. “We’re going to have to adjust early because I can see it being a one or two-run game. It could go either way. We’re just going to have to go out and do what we do and hope for the best.”
