DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
McAllen Rowe is in the playoffs thanks to the play of some promising freshmen. But it’s the leadership of four seniors that have allowed the youngsters to grow quickly.
Four-year lettermen Robbie Partida, Armando Mendez and Nick Martinez, and senior ace Eddie Ramirez, have been constants in the Warriors’ lineup for years, and their influence upon freshmen Abbany Garcia and Trey Prado this season has been priceless.
“We have some seniors that are good leaders who brought the young kids along fast,” Rowe coach Angel Perez said. “We threw those young kids into the fire and they got experience fast.”
This is the first time Perez has had two freshmen in his lineup. Because of that, he’s learned to be more patient and curve expectations.
Garcia is 6-0 as a pitcher, keen on pitching around the plate and throwing strikes, and one of the team’s top hitters. Prado has worked his way slowly into the lineup and has made significant progress defensively.
Their improvement, combined with the stable senior core, has kept Rowe afloat in what could have been a trying year.
“We lost some big guys in Ryan Jackson and Justin Guerrero,” Perez said. “But we always expect to make the playoffs. I knew we had a chance. Guys want to continue the tradition and that’s our main goal.”
COMING AROUND
La Joya High began the District 30-6A season 0-3. Coming off a heartbreaking collapse in 2014, when it lost the final three games to fall from second place to out of the playoffs, spirits weren’t exactly high.
And then coach Reuben Farias went to work. Farias moved his catcher into the infield and brought in another backstop. From there, he saw a drastic turnaround.
The Coyotes won eight of their final nine district games and finished in second in district. For good.
“We won an extra inning ballgame against Mission, and we just went from there,” Farias said. “We had been making errors and weren’t throwing strikes. We were always scoring runs, but we were making four or five errors a night.”
Once the Coyotes cut down the errors, they were fine. They always could hit. They have a .426 on-base percentage and strikeout just 4.3 times per game.
It also helps that they have a blossoming star in junior Anibal Leal. On the bump, he’s 3-2 with a 0.90 ERA and 38 strikeouts to 16 walks in 39 innings. At the plate, he’s hitting .484 with 24 RBIs and two homers.
It’s been quite a rebound year for Leal, who missed the last four games of last season with a hand fracture and felt like he let the team down because of it.
“Early on last year, he was putting too much pressure on himself,” Farias said. “He’d tried to carry the team and with four games left he gets hurt. He didn’t finish the season and he felt like he let the team down. But he’s come around in a big way for us.”
The entire team has come around in a big way.
“We’re playing more confident,” Farias said. “The kids are more relaxed. They’re no longer stressing. There’s no more guys trying to do too much.”
BITS AND PIECES
As the playoffs start May 7, here’s a look at some interesting notes from the regular season.
>> After leaving Sharyland High two years ago following a decorated coaching career with the Rattlers, Bart Bickerton has won another district title. Bickerton led Brownsville Porter to the 32-5A championship. It gets better for Bickerton. Three of his former assistants at Sharyland High are in the playoffs as head coaches: Jaime Perez at Edinburg Vela, Casey Smith at Mission Vets Memorial, and Junior Martinez at Sharyland High. All three coached under Bickerton in 2007 and 2008. Smith and Martinez shared the 31-5A title this year, and Perez earned the first playoff bid for Vela baseball in his first year as head coach.
>> It didn’t take long for Xavy Acosta to make his presence known at Edcouch-Elsa. The first-year head coach has the Yellowjackets in the playoffs for the first time in six years despite a young, raw roster of talent.
>> Roma is in the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. The Gladiators finished fourth in District 31-5A. The secret to Roma’s success isn’t really a secret, coach Roque Cortinas said. It’s team chemistry. Togetherness and family.
>> Edinburg High is on a streak of 52 innings without allowing an earned run. The Bobcats have six shutouts in District 31-6A play and have clinched a share of the title heading into Friday’s regular season finale.
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RGVSPORTS.COM H.S. BASEBALL TOP 10 POLL
Rank, Team Record Previous
1, Brownsville Veterans Memorial 19-1-2 1
2, Edinburg High 17-2-1 2
3, Sharyland High 19-3 4
4, Brownsville Porter 16-5-2 5
5, La Joya Palmview 16-3-1 3
6, Hidalgo 17-5-1 7
7, Mission Veterans Memorial 19-6 9
8, Weslaco High 14-5 NR
9, Edinburg North 14-5-2 6
10, Harlingen South 16-5 8