The Harlingen South Lady Hawks were the only team out of District 32-6A to play a one-game playoff this week. The gamble paid off, however, as the Lady Hawks edged Edinburg North 8-7 in eight innings on Thursday night in a Class 6A bi-district contest.
Harlingen South will now play Laredo United in a one-game area-round playoff on Friday at 7:30 p.m. with the site still to be decided.
“United has a lot of speed, and have both a righty and lefty pitcher that are very talented,” said South coach Elias Martinez. “If we can continue to make routine plays and stay disciplined at the plate, it will be a fun game to watch. We’re getting healthy and it’s starting to show.”
South and Edinburg North entered the sixth inning on Thursday tied at 2. The Lady Hawks pulled ahead with a two-run frame, but the Lady Cougars tacked on a run in the sixth and seventh to send the game into extra innings tied at 4.
The bats came alive in the top of the eighth inning for the Lady Hawks as they scored four runs to take an 8-4 advantage. South’s defense then fended off a late rally by North, which managed to score three runs in the bottom of the eighth.
For the Lady Hawks, Krystal Gonzales went 2 for 4 with a home run, Kayla Rodgers also went 2 for 4 with an inside-the-park homer and Ashley Reyna finished with a 2 for 4 performance at the plate.
“It was a great win and a great ballgame,” said Martinez. “We made the routine plays on defense and we had good at-bats, and the kids were smart at the plate.”
