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CORPUS CHRISTI — Less than 24 hours after dropping a heartbreaker in Game 2 of their Region IV-5A semifinal playoff series against Buda Johnson, the Diamondbacks turned the tables and returned the favor.
Pioneer plated three runs during the bottom of the sixth inning to pull off a 5-4 comeback win in Game 3 on Saturday at Cabaniss Sports Complex in Corpus Christi to punch their ticket back to the Region IV-5A final for the second time in four years.
Sharyland Pioneer (32-8) will face Georgetown (30-7) in the Elite 8. Game details are to be determined.
The Game 3 win by the Diamondbacks is their third of the postseason.
“We get punched in the mouth, we’re going to punch back. The boys did it and I’m super proud of them,” Pioneer head coach Shawn Moes said. “It’s one of those days where I’m at a loss for words.”
After watching a 2-0 lead slowly slip away entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Juan Rivera and Oscar Serna, Pioneer’s No. 1 and 2 hitters, reached base on a walk and hit by pitch, respectively. Angel Larrañaga then singled to score Rivera. One out later, David Benitez reached on a bunt to load the bases. Isaac Lopez walked to tie the game at 4 and Santiago Ortiz drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to score Rafa Garza.
“I told Juan, ‘This is on me and you, bro. You got to get it started and I got to get on base, as well.’ Sure enough, that happened and we scored three runs that inning,” Serna said. “God is great.”
“I was trying not to do too much and put the ball in play,” Ortiz said of the game-winner. “I was looking for a fastball, trying to put it somewhere in the outfield and I hit a sacrifice fly to left to drive in one.”
The Diamondbacks struck first as an RBI single by Rene Vela scored Joshua Benitez during the bottom of the second. Ryan Garza followed with a solo shot to left field during the third to push Pioneer’s lead to 2-0. The homer was Garza’s second of the series and fourth of the postseason.
Pioneer’s defense stepped up multiple times across seven innings to secure the win. Rivera, Garza and Ortiz turned a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play during the first and recorded the final two outs by turning another during the seventh. Catcher David Benitez gunned a runner down at second base to end the third and Joshua Benitez made a sensational grab in center field during the sixth.
Pitchers Vela, Abel Anzaldua and Lopez each took the mound for the Diamondbacks. Vela started the game and Lopez closed to earn the win with two innings of action, allowing no hits and one walk while striking out one.
“I’m proud of our guys. We never backed down,” Rivera said. “We were down by two runs in the sixth inning and we never hung our heads. We knew we were going to put up a dog fight and that’s exactly what we did. I couldn’t be any more proud of these guys and I know we’re going to tear it up next round.”
Sharyland Pioneer now shifts its focus to next week’s Elite 8 matchup against Georgetown. It’ll be the Diamondbacks seniors’ second appearance in a regional championship series.
“A lot of us were freshmen when we made it there (in 2019). It feels good coming back because it’s our time to do it, our time to put our school on the map,” Garza said.
