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Four Upper Valley high school baseball teams punched their tickets to the regional quarterfinal round of the UIL state playoffs with victories Friday and Saturday.
GAME 3: McALLEN ROWE 6, CORPUS CHRISTI CARROLL 2, ROWE WINS SERIES 2-1
The Warriors dropped Game 1 of their best-of-three series 12-2 against the Tigers on Thursday. Rowe stormed back to win Game 2 10-5 and the decisive Game 3 6-2 on Saturday at Falfurrias High School.
Down one run during the top of the sixth of Game 3, the Warriors answered with five runs to take a 6-2 lead. Nathan Charles, Ramiro Campos, Ruben Campos, Ivan Salinas and Yahir Garcia each drove in a run.
Three Rowe pitchers — Jorge Melendez, Ramiro Campos and Ivan Salinas — combined to allow six hits and two earned runs while walking five.
The Warriors will face Corpus Christi Ray (32-3, 16-0) in the Region IV-5A quarterfinals. The Texans swept Brownsville Veteransin their area round matchup.
GAME 3: SHARYLAND PIONEER 10, CORPUS CHRISTI MOODY 4, PIONEER WINS SERIES 2-1
After a chance to close the series out Friday night slipped through their grasp, the Diamondbacks responded Saturday with a 10-4 win over Corpus Christi Moody to advance to Round 3.
Sharyland Pioneer broke the game open with a three-run fifth inning and five-run sixth to take a commanding 10-2 lead.
Isaac Lopez led the Diamondbacks with a 2-for-4 day and three RBIs. Oscar Serna went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs, Joshua Benitez went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs, and David Benitez went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Ryan Garza also drove in one, while Juan Rivera went 2-for-5 with two runs and two stolen bases.
Abel Anzaldua earned the win, pitching a complete game, allowing four earned runs while scattering nine hits, one walk and 10 strikeouts across seven innings.
The Diamondbacks will meet Corpus Christi Veterans (27-9, 12-4) in the Region IV-5A quarterfinals. The Eagles took down Weslaco East in two games in the area round to advance to Round 3.
GAME 2: EDINBURG VELA 12, LAREDO ALEXANDER 5, EDINBURG VELA WINS SERIES 2-0
The SaberCats (24-8, 13-3) swept District 30-6A champion Laredo Alexander with a 7-2 victory in Game 1 and sealed the deal with a dominant 12-5 win in Game 2. Both games were played at Rio Grande City High School.
In Game 2, Vela’s offense exploded for eight fifth-inning runs to close the door on Alexander’s hopes for a comeback. Nolan Salinas and Ryan Botello each recorded two hits and three RBIs. AJ Reyes, Jayden Martinez and Rudy Gonzalez all chipped in two RBIs apiece.
Bobby Garcia picked up the Game 2 win for the SaberCats, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and six walks in 5.2 innings.
Edinburg Vela will now meet District 31-6A rival La Joya High (20-10, 11-5) in the Region IV-6A quarterfinals. The Coyotes and SaberCats split their season series 1-1, each winning on the other’s home turf.
ONE-GAME PLAYOFF: LA JOYA HIGH 5, SAN ANTONIO STEVENS 2, LA JOYA HIGH WINS SERIES 1-0
Trailing 2-1 during the bottom of the seventh, the Coyotes (20-10, 11-5) loaded the bases and senior Hugo Cantu cleared them with a walkoff grand slam to lift La Joya High over San Antonio Stevens. Starting pitcher JC Gutierrez allowed one hit, four walks and one earned run while striking out 11.
It’s the second consecutive year the Coyotes have bounced the Falcons from the area round of the playoffs. La Joya High will meet District 31-6A rival Edinburg Vela (24-8, 13-3) in the Region IV-6A quarterfinals.
