BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — Edinburg High junior shortstop Maya Zavala didn’t let an 0-for- 3 start to Tuesday’s game deter her approach at the plate.
“I just wanted to get on base at least once during the game,” Zavala said.
Zavala was successful with a single in her fourth plate appearance and delivered again when it mattered most. With the game tied at 4 in the bottom half of the eighth, she lofted a bases-loaded single to left, giving Edinburg High a 5-4 walk-off victory against visiting Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial.
“I didn’t want to lose this game,” Zavala said. “I hate to lose more than I love winning. That’s what was going through my mind.”
Multiple Bobcats played the role of hero on Tuesday night. Zavala’s game-ending hit would not have been possible without left fielder Katie Truitt.
Truitt came up to the plate with two outs in the seventh inning. Zavala stood in scoring position after notching her first hit of the day and advancing on a sacrifice bunt. Down two strikes, Truitt lined a double into the right-center field gap, scoring Zavala and tying the game at 4.
“I’ve been playing for a really long time, and I’m always looking for a good, solid pitch to hit,” Truitt said. “In that situation, there’s more pressure, but I try not to let it get in my head. If I do, I know I’ll struggle. I just get in my zone and pretend it’s just front toss.”
“Katie’s been clutch for us,” Edinburg High coach Ramon Arciba said. “They know that being on the field is pressure enough, and I told Katie to clear her head. ‘Clear your head and imagine seeing it like a beach ball.’ And she sure did. She put it right in the gap, brought in the tying run, and it was a new ball game after that.”
Junior pitcher Erika Cortez had a rocky first inning in the circle. She allowed three runs, courtesy of back-to-back home runs. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial second baseman Celeste Salazar smashed a two-run homer before cleanup hitter Hailey Salinas followed with a solo shot.
“After that (first inning), my coach said to leave it up to the team,” Cortez said. “I knew that they would have my back and that they would score. As long as I kept pitching my game, I knew they’d back me up on defense and at the plate.”
From the second inning on, Cortez was sharp. She allowed only two more hits the rest of the way, yielding an unearned run while striking out six and walking one.
“I went in there and focused on making my ball break a lot more than it did in the first inning,” Cortez said. “If they hit the ball, it was either going to be a ground ball or a pop-up. Nothing solid.”
Arciba’s original plan was for Cortez to pitch the first half of the game with senior hurler Amber Reyes coming in for the second half. Instead, Cortez went the full eight innings.
“Coach and the team just believed in me a lot,” Cortez said. “It’s amazing. I thank God every day for it. We’re sisters, we’re family, and nothing can break that bond between us. I’m so proud to be a part of that.”
“I’m very proud of my girls,” Arciba said. “They kept fighting, and we emphasize playing with heart. Give it your best, leave it all on the field and see what happens. I’m glad it worked out in our favor.”