By JOSHUA McKINNEY, Staff Writer
The Hanna Lady Golden Eagles are in the playoff mix heading into the second of District 32-6A games.
Coach Rey Lerma thinks Hanna (9-11, 3-4) has had some misfortune come its way, but the team is chugging along and fighting for a spot in the postseason.
“We still feel that we’re pretty close but like in any sport, you’ve got to have a little bit of luck and our luck right now has been a little bit on the sour side,” Lerma said. “We’ve had some injuries. I’ve had some people out.”
The Eagles are tied for fifth with Harlingen High in the district standings, one game behind both Los Fresnos and Harlingen South for two of 32-6A’s playoff spots.
“We’re all very close. It’s like I’ve told the girls, ‘Every game is a playoff game,’” Lerma said. “Every game is a playoff game and we have to come out. We have to be on our best performance. I still strongly feel that if we get it all together (we can make the playoffs).”
Getting stronger
The youth-laden squad that is the Pace Lady Vikings is beginning to play like veterans, and it has the team playing stronger as of late.
Pace (6-11, 2-6) has won two of its last four games and hung tough with the Mercedes Lady Tigers, ranked 24th in the latest Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 5A softball poll, Tuesday night.
“The kids are finally getting used to what we want them to do and they’re making the plays,” coach Jesus Jaramillo Jr. said. “We’re very young but they’re hungry. They’re eager. They want to win. They never shut down. They keep working hard, working hard and plugging away.”
The Lady Vikings have seven freshmen on varsity, five of whom are starters. Jaramillo Jr. said the team is more focused, which is an important factor in improved play down the stretch.
“They knew have to catch the routine fly balls, grounders and make the easy outs,” he said. “Also, batting has been big for us. They’ve been working real hard hitting. They know that if we get on base we have some speed, so we’re sending them.”
A new approach
Coach Ariel Arredondo has taught the Porter Cowgirls a new way to approach pitchers, and if Tuesday’s 16-0 rout of Donna North is any indication, it’s working.
She wants Porter (12-9, 6-2) taking a more aggressive mindset at the plate and she’s noticed a difference at the halfway point in District 32-5A play.
“I tried to incorporate this season, and the majority of my girls trust me and have taken heed on jumping on that first-strike pitch and not taking so many pitches, regardless of who we’re playing,” Arredondo said. “When we face more experienced pitchers, they’re going to throw that first strike in there to get ahead. They’re going give you a fastball and everything else is going to be a curve, rise or jump.
“That’s what I’ve tried to get them to understand and now deeper into the season, now some of girls who’s batting averages weren’t as good have jumped on top because they’re jumping and being aggressive and being disciplined up there.”
Joshua McKinney covers high school sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @joshuabvherald.