East Valley Softball: Area teams set for start of playoffs

HARLINGEN — East Valley softball teams are playing the bi-district round of the playoffs this week.

District 32-4A will begin its playoff series Thursday. District 32-4A champions La Feria will play host to Zapata on Thursday. If La Feria advances, it will take on either Uvalde or Hondo.

Raymondville, the fourth seed out of 32-4A will head to Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway in a single-elimination game. CCTM HAS won eight straight district games heading into the playoffs.

On Saturday, Port Isabel faces Alice in a winner-take-all meeting at noon in Alice. The runner-up of District 32-4A will play the winner of Devine or Crystal City if they advance past an Alice team that beat Mercedes and Sharyland Pioneer in tournament play this season.

Representing District 32-5A, Brownsville Veterans Memorial will play host to McAllen Rowe at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Lady Chargers defeated Rowe in tournament play early in the season. Rowe has put up some big scores during the past couple of weeks, as their only losses in District 31-5A play have come against Sharyland High and Sharyland Pioneer.

Brownsville Lopez made the playoffs on the final day of district play. The Lady Lobos travel to Sharyland Pioneer for the first game. Pioneer dominated District 31-5A but comes into the game with an extra-inning loss to McAllen Memorial.

Brownsville Veterans and Lopez will flip venues for their games Friday.

The area’s District 32-6A teams jump into the action Friday, as San Benito and Los Fresnos will play single-elimination games on the road.

San Benito enters the playoffs as the fourth seed out of District 32-6A and will face PSJA North. The Lady Raiders have lost once this season, in early March to a San Antonio school.

Los Fresnos claimed second place out of the tough District 32-6A, and its opponent, Mission High, is a familiar one, as the teams have already played twice. Los Fresnos won the first outing 9-1, and Mission High took the second 5-4.

Harlingen South will face La Joya High in a series. South will also be on the road Friday, Game 2 will be at South on Saturday and the third, if necessary, will be held Monday.

Santa Rosa was scheduled to take on Donna IDEA in a single-elimination game Wednesday, the same day that Brownsville Harmony was set to play a single elimination game against Edinburg IDEA Quest at La Villa.

San Perlita takes on usual playoff foe D’Hanis. Lyford has a bye through the bi-district round and will face either Santa Gertrudis Academy or Odem in the area round.