BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
LA JOYA — The La Joya High Coyotes boast one of the most prolific offenses in the Valley, and very little seems to rattle them.
In a road game against McAllen Rowe on March 23, La Joya went into the bottom of the seventh with a three-run lead. Rowe tied the game to force extras, but the Coyotes found a way to win in nine innings.
Similarly, La Joya held a three-run lead against McAllen Memorial (13-14, 7-3) on Thursday night. The Mustangs tied the game in the sixth, but again, the Coyotes rallied in the bottom half of the inning to score six runs and defeat Memorial 9-6.
“They worked together in the end,” La Joya High coach Carlos Rodriguez said. “We put some hits together against a team that’s going to be a playoff team, and they (Memorial) fought like one. But we were able to keep our composure enough through difficult situations and played well.”
La Joya senior pitcher Sabrina Salinas was virtually unhittable through the first five innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while fanning nine Mustangs. But Salinas faced Memorial’s first serious rally in the sixth inning.
After Memorial third baseman Alejandra Landa drove in a run with a double to make it a 3-1 game, the Mustangs had runners at second and third with one out as second baseman Adalyss Ramirez stepped to the plate.
Ramirez dribbled a grounder back to Salinas, who threw home for catcher Kassy Villarreal to tag out Memorial’s Jalene Rodriguez. Villarreal threw the ball back to Salinas, who suddenly became aware of Landa’s attempt to take third base. Salinas threw wildly to third, allowing Landa to score and Ramirez to come around after beginning the sequence by reaching first base on the fielder’s choice.
“I got mad at myself, but I had to get over it,” Salinas said. “It was a mistake, and everybody makes them. This whole game is based on mistakes. I decided that the next batter, I’d be better.”
Salinas closed out the inning, and her teammates picked her up at the plate. La Joya right fielder Alyssa Soliz began the six-run sixth by knocking her second run-scoring double of the night. Third baseman Alex Alaniz added an RBI double of her own, and the scoring was capped with Villarreal’s two-run double that made it 9-3 Coyotes.
“We all believe that we’re a good hitting team,” Alaniz said. “We come through for our pitcher, and we pull through when we need to. We just tried to get back in the game. When Coach (Rodriguez) says to get one more run, we push to get two or push to get three more. Our mindset was to score more runs and extend that lead.”
Despite Salinas’ rocky sixth and seventh innings, Rodriguez noted that she ended with 11 strikeouts on the night.
“Tonight was Sabrina’s third consecutive game with 10 or more strikeouts,” Rodriguez said. “Just a tremendous effort from that kid.”
The win pushed the Coyotes (21-8, 9-0) one step closer to a district title. La Joya now owns a two-game lead on McAllen Rowe, which defeated Mission High on Thursday, and a two-and-a-half game lead on Memorial, which slides into third place in District 30-6A.
Another La Joya High win tonight against last-place La Joya Juarez-Lincoln would ensure the Coyotes at least a share of the district championship.
“Last year we finished in third place at 9-3,” Rodriguez said. “You can sense the confidence with this year’s team. They knew they were going to hit the ball when Memorial tied the game. These kids never waver.”