BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
McAllen Memorial (14-11, No. 1 seed in 30-6A) had one of the more interesting regular seasons in Valley softball. The Lady Mustangs put together a rigorous non-district schedule against area stalwarts like Rio Hondo and Sharyland Pioneer, plus TAPPS 5A defending state champion Incarnate Word from San Antonio. What resulted was a 4-9 non-district record heading into 30-6A competition. In the end, the difficult schedule appeared to help more than it harmed, as McAllen Memorial recovered and won a share of a district title (10-2) with McAllen High.
Coach Audra Benavidez knew she wouldn’t have the starters the team had when the Lady Mustangs went 22-5 and had sole possession of a district title in 2016.
“We were going to be half young and half veterans,” Benavidez said. “We let our young ones know that we couldn’t prepare them enough for what we were going to see in 30-6A, because they never saw that level of play before. They were a little bit shocked at first, but when we told them it was only going to make them better, they were able to do well.”
The Lady Mustangs were in the driver’s seat for yet another district championship. McAllen Memorial held a 2 1/2 game lead on McHi on April 4. A late charge closed the gap for the Lady Bulldogs, but it wasn’t enough to firmly push the Lady Mustangs off the mantle.
Benavidez will face a familiar foe in the bi-district round of the playoffs. McAllen Memorial will meet Laredo United (No. 4 seed in 29-6A) in a one-game playoff at 7:30 tonight at Cabaniss Field in Corpus Christi. Tonight’s playoff matchup will be the third between the two teams in the last three postseasons.
“It’s been the luck of the draw,” Benavidez said. “We’ve seen each other, whether it’s been us as a fourth seed and them as a one, or us in the first and them as a fourth. Both times, we did a series with United. When we fell short last year in the series versus Edinburg High, I think we, as coaches, looked back and thought we performed well in a one-game situation. Our team’s mentality is do or die. We have one shot to take care of it, and they know they have to come out strong.”
WIN OR STAY HOME
Edinburg North coach Richard Tressler got half of what he wanted when it came time to determine the details of his team’s playoff matchup. Harlingen South won the first coin flip and chose a one-game playoff in lieu of a three-game series, but Tressler won the second coin flip to determine that the game will be played on Edinburg North’s grass.
Now in his 18th consecutive playoff appearance at North, Tressler has found a way to keep the machine humming along.
“You get your freshmen and sophomores, and we’ve kept folding those kids into our mix,” Tressler said. “That way, you’re never graduating enough kids that it’s going to cripple you to the point where you’re rebuilding. It’s more of a reloading and not rebuilding.”
Tressler plans on sending senior Jackie Longoria (14-6, 1.10 ERA) to the circle 7:30 tonight against the Lady Hawks.
“Jackie’s going the whole game, no matter what,” Tressler said. “Barring an injury, Jackie Longoria will pitch the entire game.”
The Lady Cougars’ rotation a season ago was a different story. Longoria shouldered most, if not all, of the load, winning 27 games in 2016. Now armed with sophomore starter Natalie Rodriguez (8-2, 1.58 ERA), Tressler had a little more flexibility with his starting rotation.
“Natalie had a great contribution this year,” Tressler said. “She picked up a lot of innings that helped me rest Jackie some more. Last year, I didn’t have this opportunity and, this year I do. Natalie has stepped it up.”