Baseball notes: Bobcats to play must-win game vs Tarpons

For the Rio Hondo Bobcats, the scenario is simple: Win and they’re in.

With one final regular season game left on the schedule, the Bobcats’ playoff hopes hinge on the result of Monday’s game against the Port Isabel Tarpons.

Currently the Tarpons sit at 7-6, one game ahead of the Bobcats, who are 6-7. However, should the Bobcats win at home next week, they will advance because they would own the head-to-head series over the Tarps. The Bobcats beat PI 10-4 earlier this season.

“Our district is tough,” said Rio Hondo baseball coach Sergio Gonzalez. “But like I told the kids, the game on Monday re-sets everything as far as our pitchers and the pitch count, and the year that we have been having. It sets up a really good game for us because it’s going to be our best lineup against their best lineup and that the way it should be. Because the winner moves on to the postseason.”

Rio Hondo is currently on a three-game losing skid. The Bobcats lost to RioGrandCity (7-0), Hidalgo (9-6) and most, recently, to Zapata (13-2). Meanwhile, during that same period, Port Isabel has collected a 2-1 record. After a 7-0 loss to the Hidalgo Pirates, the Tarpons have since won two straight over Zapata (6-2) and Progreso (3-1).

However, despite the skid, Coach Gonzalez is confident his team can get a win.

“I think we’ve been consistent we just need to keep it together and play good baseball,” said Gonzalez. “We were in the same spot in the first half of the season when we had lost three straight before we played Port Isabel. We haven’t been playing sloppy because we’ve been hitting the ball a lot better in the second half (of the season).

“We just need to continue to do the things we have to do against Port Isabel and the team with the fewest mistakes is going to win the game at the end of the night.”

The winner between the two is set to take on Sinton in bi-district. Sinton is currently ranked No. 6 in the TexasHigh School Baseball rankings.