BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — PSJA North more than held its own with first-place Edinburg High on Tuesday night. Through four and a half innings, the Lady Raiders (12-9, 2-5) were only down 6-4. The Lady Bobcats (18-2, 7-0) then erupted for an eight-run bottom of the fifth, dashing any hopes for an upset and closing the door on the Lady Raiders 14-4 at Edinburg High’s softball field.
“To be honest, we don’t want to underestimate any team that we play,” Edinburg High coach Ramon Arciba said. “We have a lot of respect for every team in our district and the surrounding districts as well. They’re (PSJA North) a well-coached team with Coach (Belinda) Trevino, who coached at Vela last year. I knew it was going to be a tough game. The girls – I believe – were mentally prepared, but we were pressing a little bit at the plate.”
Edinburg High starting pitcher Amber Reyes ran into some early trouble, surrendering three runs on three hits and striking out three in only three innings of work. Reliever Dezi Marmolejo stepped in for Reyes in the fourth and gave up one run on two hits while punching out three in the last two innings of the game.
“We just have bad days and good days, you know?” Reyes said. “But I’m glad I have Dezi to back me up. When she has bad days, I’m there. When I have bad days, she’s there. We really help each other out. You never know when you’re going to have a good day or a bad day.”
As Reyes scuffled on the mound, she went above and beyond at the plate. Reyes went 3 for 3 with a triple, two singles, and an RBI. In the fifth, Reyes reached on an error by PSJA North shortstop Andrea Salazar. The ball bounced off Salazar and trekked all the way to the base of the center field wall. Reyes used her speed to fly around the bases and score with nobody out to make it 8-4.
“I was trying to get on,” Reyes said. “I have to try to do that so everybody can follow behind me.”
The win gives Edinburg High the Valley’s best mark of 18-2 overall, including a perfect 7-0 in District 31-6A competition. The fast start wasn’t in Arciba’s early season plans.
“Our main priority was to establish the discipline that we needed in this program,” Arciba said. “I’m not easy on them. I do tell them the way it is when I have to. The main thing that I attribute their success to has been their mental approach. They are willing to accept what we as coaches have tried to instill into them.”