By KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — The 1927 New York Yankees are arguably one of the greatest teams in Major League Baseball history. That year, the Yankees won 110 games and swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series.
The first six batters made up the famous “Murderers’ Row,” a lethal combination of power, speed and contact led by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
A short 92 years later, here are the Harlingen South Lady Hawks.
This year’s group is the most experienced under fourth-year coach Elias Martinez. While South has made the playoffs each of his first three years — including a trip to the Sweet 16 — one thing still evades the Lady Hawks: a district title.
“Within a month we are done, it is a small district,” Martinez said. “I told the girls we need to leave it all on the field, and we can’t take anyone for granted. We are taking it one game at a time and we will let the chips fall where they may, and hopefully we will be in a position to make a run.”
Well, this year’s core of heavy hitters is looking to change that. Much like Murderers’ Row, South’s lineup is deep with speed, contact and power from both sides of the plate.
Senior shortstop Krystal Gonzales, junior center fielder Kytana Muniz, junior catcher Christina Arellano and freshman designated player and pitcher Iliana Saucedo provide the pop for the Lady Hawks’ lineup.
“We have a pretty good lineup. One thing we need to work on is being consistent night in and night out,” Martinez said. “When we are on we are on, but we are never out of it with this lineup.”
Through the first 23 games, the offense has scored 10 or more runs seven times.
The Lady Hawks’ season high was a 20-run spurt against Robstown. During the past three games, the lineup has been red hot, scoring 16, 17 and 15 runs, and it is looking to take that into its district opener next week against Los Fresnos.
“Honestly, as a team we are really doing well,” Gonzales said. “I think we can go far and maybe as far as we have gone before. We have had a good first half of the season, and everything is going well. I’m motivated as a senior to finish off strong, and to be able to win a district title would be amazing.”
Gonzales is batting .474 with 28 runs and four homers, two of which came against Weslaco East last Tuesday. Saucedo leads the club in dingers with five and hit a towering shot against East, and she is hitting .442 with 16 runs scored.
Muniz, the team’s lefty slugger, hit her first homer of the season against East and is batting .409 with 25 runs scored from the cleanup spot. Arellano, who is still coming into form, has begun to swing a hot bat. The junior is hitting .237 with 12 runs scored and three homers.
The Lady Hawks will begin the district title chase as they kick off district play Tuesday at home against Los Fresnos. Standing in their way is defending district champion and rival San Benito, which South will tangle with Friday.
“We as a team are hungry for a district title, it would be great to get it,” Muniz said. “Coach Martinez pushes us every day to get better, and right now we are feeling good and coming together at the plate now that we are getting to district play I am seeing the ball much better, and our lineup is great from top to bottom.”