KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
RIO HONDO—Senior pitcher Erika Cortez made her home debut Friday night, and on her 18th birthday she did not disappoint.
The senior threw a gem, tossing six scoreless innings, yielding one hit and two walks, and fanning nine. Backing up Cortez was the Rio Hondo offense, which swatted 15 hits en route to a 10-0 win over Raymondville in six innings.
“There was more excitement than there was nerves,” Cortez said. “I was extra excited today because this is my first game here in Rio Hondo, so it is different because on Tuesday we were in Zapata, but tonight we were home and I was just ready to go. When I’m in the circle, I’m confident in the girls behind me. If I give up a run, I don’t worry about it because our offense can score so many runs, and that helps me as a pitcher.”
Cortez, who made her official debut Tuesday in Zapata, has helped provide a jolt on and off the field for the Lady ’Cats.
“There was excitement, for sure, with Erika being able to pitch at home on her birthday, and being able to pitch in front of her family and friends,” Rio Hondo coach Brett Esparza said. “We have a great set of leaders here with our upperclassmen and adding her to the mix has been fantastic, and she is such a positive leader and is very humble, and we are happy to have her.”
The Lady Cats wasted no time on offense. During the bottom of the first inning, Rio Hondo had five straight hits and plated six runs to grab an early 6-0 lead. Seven Lady ’Cats finished with at least two hits. Rio Hondo added three more runs during the second inning and plated one more in the sixth.
“As the games have been going on, I have been able to recognize pitches and have had a much better approach,” Rio Hondo senior Kayla Castaneda said. “I have also become more selective at the plate, much more than I was at the start of the season.”
Castaneda finished the night 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI. The top of the order went a combined 8 for 13 and scored seven runs. At the bottom of the order, Abbie Torris provided some pop, going 2 for 4 with a run scored and four RBIs.
“We are still very young, and so every pitcher that we face we are trying to teach the girls (that) different girls throw different pitches,” Esparza said.
“Tonight Raymondville had a great drop ball, and so as a hitter we need to understand that and we are just trying to teach the kids the game. If we can keep poking at it we will be fine. On Tuesday it was the opposite, we struggled early but were able to get it going late.”
The Lady ’Cats improve to 3-0 in district play and will travel to Grulla on Monday. Raymodville drops to 1-2 in district and now shifts its focus to Progreso.