By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
DONNA — Edcouch-Elsa tested its string of recent success on Friday against Donna High’s ambitious push for the playoffs, and the result put everything on hold, at least until Monday night.
That’s because the Lady Yellowjackets’ 16-5 road win over Donna drew a two-way tie for fourth place in District 32-5A, forcing a play-in game early next week.
“I think the key was that we played with heart,” E-E senior Daniela Rivera said. “We know that Monday when we play them, we have to play with heart again because they might want it as bad as we do.
“But what’s another year for them (to wait to get into the playoffs)? This is tradition for us.”
Edcouch-Elsa has clinched a postseason berth in eight of the past nine years. Donna has yet to make it in the program’s 12-year history.
Bravettes coach Adrian Lopez left his home turf Friday night saying he was “disappointed” in the loss, which was peppered with errors, especially during a momentum-shifting fifth inning.
His Donna team committed eight miscues all night, including three during the fifth that resulted in two unearned runs.
In fact, Edcouch-Elsa’s first seven runs were unearned (one on a fielder’s choice, another on a walk). With a 7-4 lead, the Yellowjackets’ Sarah Rodriguez blasted a three-run triple to left field as her team started to pull away. Rodriguez scored when Jackie Alvarado proceeded with an RBI double.
“The bats woke up,” said E-E coach Joey Palacios, whose team scored seven runs during the fifth inning. “We hit the ball very well in situational hitting. We put the ball in play. And errors played a big part, too. They made some errors and we took advantage of that. That’s softball.”
The Lady Yellowjackets produced 17 hits, including five during the fifth inning, highlighted by a triple and two doubles.
By winning, E-E (17-9, 8-6) split the season series with Donna (14-9, 8-6), which won the first matchup 11-6. The two teams will meet again at 7 p.m. Monday at Donna.
Lopez chuckled briefly when he said his team “really stunk up the joint,” especially with errors, on Friday, before turning serious and saying, “We didn’t really play our best softball.”
“I’m not going to take anything away from Edcouch,” he added. “They came in here and they hit the ball. And, hey, if you could do that and play defense and get strikes (like Rodriguez, the Donna pitcher, did), you’re going to do some damage.
“We just weren’t able to manufacture some stuff, and the errors we made cost us dearly. Now we have to look forward to Monday and stay positive.”
Rodriguez gave up eight hits, including five during the fifth inning that resulted in four runs. She allowed two walks in a complete game to pick up the win.
Lopez said his team will take “a different approach” in the play-in game Monday, and “attack them differently” when it comes to pitching. He didn’t specify what that was exactly, but the change is coming on the heels of a disappointing end to the game.
On Friday, Donna failed to close the gap by surrendering five more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, including six consecutive base hits.
“Obviously if we show up and play, we think we could play with them,” Lopez said.
Having qualified for the playoffs for the better part of the past decade, Palacios said experienced played heavily into Friday’s outcome.
“We had two good teams fighting for their lives,” he said. “One rich on tradition, another trying to make history. And we’re proud of the (Edcouch-Elsa) kids. They responded well.”