LA JOYA — Edinburg Vela topped La Joya High 4-3 in a District 31-6A thriller Tuesday night at La Joya High School.
The Coyotes (10-8, 7-3) and SaberCats (13-8, 7-3) entered the bottom of the sixth inning tied at 1 before La Joya pulled ahead thanks to a Vela outfield error.
The SaberCats responded during the top of the seventh as David Peña doubled and eventually scored after two Coyotes errors. Then, with the bases loaded, Rudy Gonzalez hit a laser that bounced off the outstretched glove of La Joya’s shortstop and into the outfield to bring in the go-ahead runs for a 4-2 lead.
The Coyotes answered with one run to close the gap, but Vela’s David White shut the door with four strikeouts in two innings to earn the win.
“We talk about staying the course all the time. It’s tough as young as we are and the lack of experience that we do have, the guys are starting to play well,” Vela head coach Jaime Perez said. “They’re starting to come together. It takes a whole team effort to get through a game like this. We threw four guys on the mound in order to get this one, but we’ve been like that all year long and I’m proud of my guys.”
Gonzalez finished 2-for-4 with a game-high three RBIs to lead the SaberCats. Vela’s Aleks Castro pitched four innings and allowed one run on four hits and three walks.
“It’s a game of baseball, anything can happen. We still had three outs, so I told everybody, ‘The game isn’t over until the third out is called,’” Gonzalez said. “We needed to secure this win to get us in the second spot (in district) and in the dance, which is what Coach Perez calls the playoffs.”
La Joya High’s Hugo Cantu and JR Ramos each went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Next for Edinburg Vela is Edinburg North at 7 p.m. Friday at Edinburg Vela High School. La Joya High will host PSJA North at 7 p.m. Friday at La Joya High School.
