BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Sharyland Pioneer and Mission Veterans began the season ranked in the RGVSports.com top 10 and entered Friday night’s matchup tied atop the District 31-5A standings at 2-0. However, the Lady Diamondbacks flexed their muscles in a 15-3 rout of the Lady Patriots at Mission Veterans.
“We were both coming into this game at 2-0, so we knew that Mission Veterans was going to be a team we needed to beat,” Sharyland Pioneer coach Orlando Garcia said. “They are one of the top three teams in our district.”
The two teams were scoreless after one inning, but Pioneer jumped on Mission Veterans starter Iliana Contreras in the second. The Lady Diamondbacks scored two in the second, three in the third and exploded for a 10-run fourth inning to put the game out of reach. Pitcher Mariah Youngblood drove in two runs on a double and reigning Monitor All-Area Offensive Player of the Year Emily Michki cleared the bases with a three-run, inside-the-park homer.
“To be honest, I think we’re great at hitting, pitching and defense,” Garcia said. “We complement each other. If you noticed in the first inning, we weren’t hitting the ball very well, but our pitching was there. After giving up a run in the last half of the first, we got going at the plate. Once we did that, we were able to put a full game together.”
While his Lady Diamondbacks were up 5-1 through three innings, Garcia urged his team to keep the throttle down.
“I always tell them that they should keep their discipline in everything they do,” Garcia said. “The biggest thing is not to get complacent. It’s easy to get complacent when you have a big lead, and we wanted to finish a game as quick as possible to alleviate any more pitches that our pitcher needs to throw.”
Pioneer’s next game will be at home against Rio Grande City at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Garcia anticipates another meaningful result.
“(Rio Grande City) is the third of the top three teams in our district — us, them and Mission Veterans,” Garcia said. “Coach (Nicole) Smedley has some girls coming back and we’ve always had some pretty good games the last two years we’ve been in the same district.”