MISSION — Rio Grande City and Mission Veterans entered their District 30-5A matchup in a four-way tie for the top spot in their league standings.
The Rattlers defeated the Patriots 5-2 on Friday at Mission Veterans High School to make it a three-way tie entering the final two weeks of the regular season.
Rio Grande City (18-7, 8-2) is now tied for first with La Joya Palmview (18-7, 8-2) and Roma (17-8, 8-2). Mission Veterans drops to fourth in 30-5A at 7-3 and 14-12 overall.
“I told them, ‘It’s in your hands. You guys want it, you guys take it,’ and they’re taking it,” Rio Grande City head coach Hiram Lopez said. “These kids are one humble group. They’re staying hungry, they want to win that district title and this game was a big game for them.”
Rio Grande City pitcher Paul Bazan and his defense kept Mission Veterans off the board for the first five innings to take a 5-0 lead entering the sixth. Bazan finished with two earned runs off three walks and seven hits to go with six strikeouts. He helped his cause with a two-run home run during the top of the third.
“On the offensive side, I was just ready to jump on the fastball, take it as far as I could to help my team out,” Bazan said.
Mission Veterans responded with a two-out rally during the bottom of the sixth as Rey Martinez and Ethan Garza drove in a pair to cut into Rio Grande City’s lead.
Austin Bazan and Deandre Rodriguez finished with one RBI apiece for the Rattlers.
The win clinches a playoff spot for Rio Grande City, but it has its sights set on winning a district title with four games remaining in the regular season.
“We just want to keep up the same intensity. We’re the scariest team in the district right now, and we’re going to push the pedal to the metal and give it our all,” Paul Bazan said.
Rio Grande City moves on to a two-game series against Laredo Cigarroa beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Laredo. Mission Veterans will look to bounce back against Laredo Nixon at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mission Veterans High School.