PHARR — Softball has a long-standing stigma that pitchers can’t hit, with two-way pitcher-hitter players a rare breed.

This season, PSJA North’s Ariella Saenz is swinging away at the old stigma.

The senior pitcher serves as the Raiders’ ace in the circle, tallying 85 strikeouts and a 2.08 ERA in 67.1 innings pitched this year. She’s been just as dangerous at the plate, recording a .500 batting average, including two home runs and 37 runs batted in.

Saenz’s impact was felt on both sides Wednesday. She started the day in the circle, recording two strikeouts in one inning of work. At the plate, Saenz went 2-of-3 for three RBIs, including an inside-the-park home run during the bottom of the third to help seal the Raiders’ 16-1 victory in three innings over District 31-6A foe La Joya Juarez-Lincoln.

“Ari has been big for us since she got here,” PSJA North head coach Stephanie Lugo said. “No matter what she’s doing, she’s been a positive impact on our girls. In the circle, playing first base, just wherever we need her, she does her job. The girls are really feeding off that.”

The Raiders are off to a hot start, outscoring opponents 174-25 through 19 games en route to an 18-1 overall mark.

At the core is a group of five seniors who are all committed to continue playing collegiately, including Saenz, who signed her letter of intent to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi earlier this year.

Katelyn Luera and Victoria Espinoza, both signed to Texas A&M International, rank third and fourth in RBIs with 17 and 12, respectively. Luera has a .455 batting average in 55 at bats, while Espinoza is hitting at .343.

Jenna Fabela, a Vernon College commit, ranks second in RBIs with 22, while tallying a .476 batting average. Meanwhile, Mary Casillas, who will be competing at Sterling College in both softball and powerlifting next season, has tallied a .321 batting average with five RBIs in 13 appearances.

“This group started when I started as a head coach,” Lugo said. “They’re a little bit closer to my heart. All the girls are, but they started with me. They worked with me, and we made the program what it is today. They rely on me as much as I rely on them. They’re big for us and I’m glad we have them all.”

The Raiders have won district titles in two of the past three seasons under Lugo, with the 2020 campaign ending prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Led by their “Fab Five,” the Raiders look primed to make another run at the district title, sitting at 5-0 in district play after Wednesday’s victory.

Still, the Raiders are focused on making noise in the playoffs after falling in the area round to San Antonio Brennan last season.

“The message has been it takes all of us,” said Saenz, who pitched just the one inning Wednesday. “Whether you’re batting, running the bases, or just cheering in the dugout. Everyone has a role on this team. I find it amazing how all of us come together every game. Our goal is to make three, four or five rounds in the playoffs. I know with these girls, we have a chance to make it far.”

The Raiders (18-1, 5-0) return to action at 11 a.m. today against Edinburg Economedes at the Edinburg Economedes softball field.

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