CORPUS CHRISTI — With a big crowd filling up Corpus Christi’s Cabaniss Field along with Beeville Jones’s band, the atmosphere for Game 1 of the Region IV-4A final was electric.
With Rio Hondo holding a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh, Beeville Jones’s Jessalyn Burkett hit a two-out RBI double that tied the contest at 4 and sent the game into extra frames.
Felixia Hinojosa then hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth that capped off the Lady Trojans’ 7-4 comeback win in Game 1 of the series.
Beeville Jones now leads the best-of-three series 1-0 and can close out the series with a win tonight.
Despite the loss, Lady Cats head coach Brett Esparza remained upbeat about his team’s chances of moving on to the state tournament next week.
“I’m excited for our opportunity in Game 2,” said Esparza. “I told the girls that if we can stick together and fight, and persevere we can make something happen. My heart hurts for the girls right now. They played such a great game and gave a 100 percent effort, but we just came up short.”
It was ace versus ace on Friday as Beeville Jones sent junior Aaliyah Ruiz to the circle while Rio Hondo went with Jennifer Flores. The two quickly locked horns in what was a pitcher’s duel for a majority of the contest.
Despite the late rally from Beeville Jones, Flores managed to pitch her way out of jams with the game tied at 1. In both the third and fourth inning, Flores wiggled out of bases-loaded jams unscathed.
Rio Hondo had a rally of its own in the top of the sixth inning. Junior Bianca Cruz laced in an RBI single that gave the Lady Cats a 2-1 lead. Rio Hondo later scored two more runs on a throwing error that extended the lead to 4-1 after six.
Cruz finished the night 2 for 4 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored.
“Our kids will be ready to bounce back tomorrow; they have shown it all year,” Esparza said.
Rio Hondo will look to keep their season alive in Game 2, which is scheduled for 5 p.m. today. If needed, a Game 3 will follow 30 minutes afterward.
