By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
RIO HONDO — One of several mantras Rio Hondo coach Sergio Gonzalez has sought to instill in the minds of his players this season is “finish the fight.”
It took eight innings to do so Friday, but the Bobcats (7-9-1, 1-2 32-4A) earned their first District 32-4A win, 8-7, in a back-and-forth battle with the stubborn winds and cold front, and the equally persistent Raymondville squad.
With shortstop Cross Gonzalez at the plate during the bottom of the eighth with runners on first and third and one out, Rio Hondo won on a walk-off wild pitch, scoring left fielder Josiah Ortega.
“I’m very proud of our team for not giving up,” Sergio Gonzalez said. “I’ve been trying to send the message about finishing the fight. I think it showed.”
Although it was a high-scoring affair, a series of decisive defensive plays helped to shape the outcome in Rio Hondo’s favor.
In the top of the first, the Bearkats (4-6, 1-2 32-4A) had runners on the corners with no outs, with Raymondville shortstop Derick Ramirez at the plate. Ramirez hit a soft line drive to Rio Hondo shortstop Cross Gonzalez, who quickly flipped to third baseman Joey Ortega to catch the runner, who was caught straying too far down the third-base line.
“My dad and my coaches always tell me, big-time players make big-time plays,” Cross Gonzalez said. have a lot of confidence in myself. I want the ball hit to me all the time. If I get 21 outs, I get 21 outs. Not only me, but we had guys make throws across the diamond and stuff. We had big-time plays by big-time players.”
The next batter, catcher Gabriel Garza, hit a short dribbler to Gonzalez, who charged in hard to bare-hand the ball and throw it to first to end the inning and the first of several Raymondville scoring threats.
But the Bearkats eventually jumped in front 2-0 during the third, capitalizing on a pair of Rio Hondo errors.
The Bobcats responded by evening up the score in the bottom half of the inning, stringing together singles from designated hitter Fabian Torres, catcher Danny Vasquez and Josiah Ortega.
Rio Hondo’s first lead of the ballgame came during the fourth, when Torres and Joey Ortega scored on a bunt single from Vasquez and a sacrifice bunt from Josiah Ortega.
Raymondville surged ahead 7-4 in an error-plagued five-run fifth, taking advantage of another first-and-third situation with no outs.
“We had a lot of things going on, I think we gave up five unearned runs,” Sergio Gonzalez said. “We broke down there a little bit, but we held on tight and fought our way through it at the end. We’ve got to learn from our mistakes.”
Rio Hondo starting pitcher Daniel Garza threw five innings, allowing two hits and three walks, and striking out five. Ivan Juarez finished the game on the mound, striking out four and walking one in three shutout innings.
Juarez received a big boost from his defense with a runner on first and no outs in the sixth. The Bobcats turned a double play when the Bearkats sent a runner from second to third on a ground ball to third base, killing the Raymondville rally.
Two of Vasquez’s three RBIs came at a crucial time, with Rio Hondo trailing by three runs with only five outs to work with. The Bobcats’ catcher tripled into the right-center gap, setting up the opportunity for Joey Ortega to beat out a dribbler to third base to drive in first baseman Christian Garza and force extra innings.
Vasquez also made his presence felt behind the plate, gunning out Raymondville leadoff man Deion Castillo for the second out of the eighth inning.
Raymondville starting pitcher Darren Ramirez tossed six innings, striking out six and walking one. Reliever Nathaniel Garcia was charged with the loss, allowing four runs in two innings.
Derick Ramirez (2-for-5) and Gabriel Garza (1-for-4, RBI) were the leading hitters for the Bearkats.