Los Fresnos and Lyford are the only Rio Grande Valley teams yet to suffer defeat in district play entering the final days of the Texas high school baseball regular season.
The Falcons (22-6-1, 7-0) have District 32-6A in a stranglehold and already have clinched at least a share of the district title and the No. 1 seed. A Los Fresnos win Friday against San Benito secures an outright championship.
The Bulldogs (18-7) have won eight straight games and are 6-0 in 32-3A. They’ll close district competition with a game against Monte Alto on Friday and a showdown at home against Rio Hondo (25-1, 6-1) next week with the district championship on the line.
La Joya High created a possible co-district championship scenario in District 31-6A with an 11-4 win over PSJA High on Tuesday. The Coyotes (16-12-1, 6-1) and Bears (17-8, 6-1) are now tied for first in 31-6A. PSJA High closes out district play against Edinburg North, Mission High and Edinburg High, while La Joya faces Edinburg High, Edinburg Economedes and Mission High.
La Joya Palmview and Rio Grande City are tied for the lead in District 30-5A with 9-2 records, and Mission Veterans and Roma still have a shot at 8-3 with three games remaining. Palmview has a chance to win back-to-back district championships and takes on Roma on Friday and Laredo Cigarroa twice during the final week. Meanwhile, Rio Grande City can earn a share of the title if the Rattlers can take care of business against Cigarroa on Friday and two games against Roma next week.
Sharyland Pioneer (24-2-1, 14-1) is in the driver’s seat to repeat as District 31-5A champion, but the Diamondbacks will have to fend off their rival down the street — Sharyland High (21-4, 13-2) — in order to make it happen. The two Sharyland schools are set to collide for two games next week to cap the regular season.
Two-time defending District 32-5A champion Weslaco East (22-3, 14-1) has an opportunity to three-peat if it can win out against Donna High and Brownsville Lopez. Brownsville Veterans and Harlingen South are right on the Wildcats’ tail at 13-2 and 12-3 in district.
Hidalgo (13-8-1, 8-1) and Zapata (17-5, 8-1) appear headed for a district title game between the two teams tied for first in 32-4A on the final day of the regular season. Zapata edged Hidalgo 1-0 in their first meeting. Game 2 between the Pirates and Hawks is scheduled for April 28 in Hidalgo.
STATE RANKS
Sharyland Pioneer and Weslaco East continue to represent the Rio Grande Valley as the area’s only state-ranked teams in both the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Poll and Texas High School Baseball’s 5A top 25.
The latest THSBCA poll, released April 17, has the Diamondbacks (24-2-1, 14-1) at No. 7 and Weslaco East (22-3, 14-1) at No. 10. Texas High School Baseball’s top 25 features Weslaco East at No. 7 and Sharyland Pioneer at No. 9.
UPSET ALERT
Two state-ranked RGV baseball teams suffered upset losses last week.
Edcouch-Elsa stung state-ranked Weslaco East 7-6 in nine innings last Friday, ending a 22-game winning streak in District 32-5A competition by the Wildcats that dated to March 29 of last year. The victory helped the Yellow Jackets’ chances at qualifying for the postseason with three games remaining.
PSJA North added an upset in 31-5A with an 8-4 win over state-ranked Sharyland High last Friday. Although the Raiders’ odds of a playoff spot are low, the takedown of the Rattlers keeps them alive. The loss knocked Sharyland out of this week’s THSB Top 25 poll.