TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
McALLEN — The McAllen Rowe Warriors managed to score runs only in the third inning.
Normally, that would be a bad thing. Not Tuesday night. One inning was all they needed.
McAllen Rowe used that six-run third inning to build up a big enough margin to hang on, turning back a rally-minded McAllen Memorial 6-5 to clinch a District 30-6A spot in the state playoffs.
Essentially, Tuesday night’s game was a play-in contest, with the winner getting into the postseason as the No. 4 seed and the loser going home. Rowe started out shaky and trailed 4-0 before rallying and getting behind its pitching and defense to hang on.
“We are a fighting team. We are not going to overpower anyone, but we’ve got the fight in us, and that’s all that matters,” Rowe winning pitcher Sergio Hernandez said.
Rowe entered 6-5 in district play, with Memorial just behind at 5-6.
Early on, the Mustangs appeared to be in control, as they built up a 4-0 lead behind their own strong third inning. Memorial scored once in the second and added three runs in the third behind back-to-back triples from Seth Soto and Alex Alaniz.
But once Hernandez, who finished the game with seven hits allowed and four strikeouts, finally retired the side after facing seven batters and throwing 23 pitches, Rowe’s turn at the played flipped the game around.
Rowe brought the top of the order to the plate, and the Warriors’ first six hitters reached safely with a walk, four hits and a fielder’s choice. Add a Mustangs error and a Warriors double to the mix, and Rowe had the six-run frame it needed.
“In all honesty, I never felt doubt,” Rowe coach Adrian Leal said of falling behind early and then coming back. “If all of us don’t feel doubt, then doubt doesn’t have any area to creep in. We felt it was only the third inning, and we had only batted twice. That was the positive mentality we came in with.”
Memorial added another run in the fifth, but Rowe lefty Zack Perez came on in relief of Hernandez and sat down six of the seven batters he faced to preserve the win.
Hernandez helped his own cause by going 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.