ROBSTOWN — Weslaco High had a chance to pick up a walk-off win, but San Antonio O’Connor’s defense came up clutch and in the top of the 10th inning its offense scored the needed runs to win the series 2-1.
It was a defensive battle at Robstown High School for the Region IV-6A quarterfinal. Weslaco High forced extra innings with a clutch hit during the bottom of the seventh to make it 1-1, but O’Connor put three on the board in the 10th to win 4-1 on Saturday.
“They still got some players from their state championship run, big hitters,” Weslaco High head coach Mario Rodriguez said. “It is a game of inches. We hit the ball a couple of inches higher over the shortstop, we bring a run in. Overall, the girls, they came in and fought hard. You could not ask more of them.”
Weslaco High shortstop Lexie Escamilla, the only senior on the team, drove a shot down the left-field line, pulling out a double. Escamilla made it to third but stayed there because O’Connor short stop Meiko Dominguez pulled off a wonderful jumping catch to end the inning.
Escamilla started the seventh with a triple and was brought in by catcher Romy Nuñez with two outs to extend the game.
“We gave ourselves a chance,” Rodriguez said. “That is all we could ask for, focus on us. Hats off to their pitcher, she kept us in check with a lot of off-speed pitches.”
An error gifted O’Connor a run during the top of the sixth. Other than that, it was a stout defensive performance from Weslaco High. Freshman pitcher Madelynn Cantu was in the circle for the entire series and threw a terrific game, and had plenty of help from her defense.
Weslaco High center fielder Lola Reyes reacted to hard-hit balls in the outfield easily, third baseman Alexis Soliz threw out quick runners and Elizabeth Craig helped Cantu out of the fourth inning with a double play from first base.
“Madelynn just keeps growing in front of our eyes,” Rodriguez said. “She has got better and better throughout the entire season. Madelynn and the rest of the girls got better every game. Even when we lost we learned, and we ended up here.”
Rodriguez said that if someone were to tell him before the season that the Panthers would be in a Game 3 in the third round with a 25-15 record, he would take it.
“Super proud of the girls and happy we were able to send off our lone senior on a good note,” Rodriguez said.