SAN JUAN — The PSJA High Bears have battled their way into the Region IV-6A quarterfinal round of the playoffs for the first time since 2012. That was head coach Marco Guajardo’s first year at the helm of the program.
With the Bears back in Round 3 for the first time in 11 seasons, the PSJA High head coach said he sees similarities in this year’s team that he saw in the ‘12 group.
“That year, we had some really good senior leadership that really helped the team. Everybody was playing together and helping each other out — that’s what I see from this team,” Guajardo said. “We’ve got some of the older guys that have really taken a leadership role, helping the younger ones, picking them up when they’re down, so the team has been really together and I think that’s a big part of the success we’ve had.”
A team with a strong core of upperclassmen that has already broken through the area-round barrier will attempt to keep its season alive as the Bears (24-5) begin a best-of-three playoff series against Laredo United (15-17) with a spot in next week’s regional semifinal round on the line.
The first pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 6 p.m. today at Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo. PSJA High will host Game 2 at 6 p.m. Friday at C.V. Cain Baseball Field at PSJA High School in San Juan. Game 3, if necessary, will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday at Roma High School in Roma.
“Senior year, we’ve been trying to get here the past four years, and we’re finally here,” senior left-handed pitcher Austin Flores said. “I feel like this is the team to do it. We can keep the tides rolling, keep on going. We have a strong pitching staff, strong bats and an even stronger defense, so I feel like we got a lot going right now.”
The Bears battled through a tough three-game area-round playoff series against Laredo Alexander to set up the Round 3 series against United. PSJA High won Game 1, 3-0, then lost Game 2, 8-4. In Game 3, the Bears had just one hit during the first five innings and were losing 1-0 before rallying with a five-run sixth inning that lifted PSJA High to victory and into the regional quarterfinal round.
“All season, we’ve shown some fight here and there, but I wouldn’t really say that was our strong point. We usually got up early (in games), but it was good to know with our backs against the wall, we were able to come through as a team,” junior left-handed pitcher Vinny Cano said. “If one guy didn’t produce, the other guy was there to back him up, and it’s a good feeling knowing we have a group of guys that can accomplish that.”
The District 31-6A co-champion Bears are now focused on a Laredo United squad that swept Los Fresnos in the area round with scores of 4-1 and 7-6. PSJA High played Laredo United on the last day of the 2023 Calallen Invitational Tournament in March and lost 12-0.
Those early season, last-day tournament scores have been thrown out the window, however, as it now comes down to a three-game series for a spot in the Sweet 16.
“We know it’s going to be an extremely competitive series. They have a great squad and a great program, so we know it’s not going to be easy,” senior UTRGV signee Diego Gomez said. “We have to play our best baseball in Game 1, Game 2 and maybe Game 3. This is the playoffs, and anything can happen. We know that if we come in here and do the things we’ve done all year, we’ll be just fine.”
A third-round playoff series win would send PSJA High into the regional semifinal round for the first time since 2004.
“We didn’t have the best preseason, people doubted us, so it’s good to know we’ve accomplished something that hasn’t been done in 11 years, but this isn’t the end,” Cano said. “This was an expectation this year. The goal is fourth round, fifth round.”