BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — McAllen High senior catcher Nate Quintanilla remembers long car rides with his family to play in baseball tournaments.
He reflects fondly on one such journey that took the family all the way to South Carolina.
As they entered each new state, the family stopped for a group photo, marking the latest chapter in their voyage.
“We took a lot of pictures, and we got some souvenirs,” Quintanilla said. “We had so much fun and made good memories.”
Quintanilla is used to hearing his parents’ encouragement on the field.
“My mom used to come to our practices,” Quintanilla said. “She would be there for two hours in the heat, with only an umbrella to protect her from the sun.”
“When I am on the field, I can hear my parents,” he added. “Sometimes, in the on-deck circle, I will nod to let them know I hear what they are saying.”
On Saturday, in a win-or-go-home Game 3 against PSJA High, Quintanilla was the one called upon to change the course of McAllen High baseball history. With his family in the stands supporting him, Quintanilla blasted two home runs before finishing the game on the mound to almost single-handedly lift the Bulldogs to the third round.
“It was amazing to see,” junior outfielder Rigo Moreno said. “He did great. He really is a leader for this team.”
Quintanilla’s elimination-game heroics lifted McHi to the third round, where the team will meet Laredo Alexander in a regional quarterfinal series that begins at 7 tonight in Roma. Alexander and McHi met in the same round last season.
“If I’m not mistaken, I think they have just about everybody back from last year,” McHi coach Eliseo Pompa said. “They are a very good ballclub. They are very well-coached. We just have to be ready for them.”
“We are very excited to play Alexander,” Moreno said. “It has become a rivalry. We are just going to go out there and have fun.”
This postseason has been special for Quintanilla for a variety of reasons, but one that has been a huge boost has been the presence of his brother Roy. Roy Quintanilla was the starting shortstop for the Bulldogs last year, and he has since gone on to play for Huston-Tillotson.
As Roy’s college season wrapped up, Nate’s postseason was just getting started, so Roy has been able to attend many of the Bulldogs playoff games.
“It was so great to have him there,” Nate said. “It was emotional to see him after the game. It was a good moment.”
Because of the distance and circumstances, the Quintanilla brothers have not had much time to relax and play a game of catch together.
“It’s been a while,” Nate said. “We used to play catch, or I would catch a bullpen for him, and then he would catch a bullpen for me. Sometimes, we would hit off of the tee. We would play basketball, too. … We need to get that going again now that he is back from college for the summer.”
One game will not define Nate’s career. His work handling the pitching staff alone could be the highlight of any respectable run.
He’s also been McHi’s cleanup hitter all year.
Quintanilla has never been one for the spotlight. He has one of the most reserved walk-up songs on the team. He is slightly soft-spoken. But he is also becoming a star for the Bulldogs through his play on the field.
“The performance that Nate had in the third game was incredible,” Pompa said. “He has been doing that all year for us. He knows how to come through in the big moments.”
Wearing the catcher’s mask can lead to some added anonymity. But his countless hours perfecting his pitch blocking has probably saved the Bulldogs a whole season’s worth of runs. His pitch framing also steals strikes on a regular basis. Even a minor detail, like a throw behind a runner at first after a pitch, known as a back pick, is effective.
“He’s really good at back picking to first,” freshman catcher and third baseman Chris Bernal said. “He’s smart behind the plate. He does it at just the right time. If he gets an outside pitch, he is always checking to see if that lead got just a bit too big, so he can nab the runner.”
Nate Quintanilla bonded with Bernal early, and the two share tips of the trade.
“We have gotten real close,” Nate Quintanilla said. “He’s been doing really good, and I just try to help him as much as I can.”
Heading into Friday’s game, Quintanilla isn’t worried about his stats or hot hand. He just wants to secure the win.
“I’m working on staying back on the ball and driving the ball,” Nate Quintanilla said. “We are getting ready for what they have, and we want to keep playing.”