BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

It seems improbable that the Valley’s best golfer keeps getting better every year, but the results prove it. Sharyland High junior Jun Min Lee finished tied for third at the UIL Class 5A state golf tournament on Tuesday. The two-day tournament began Monday at White Wing Golf Club in Georgetown.

Third is Lee’s best finish at state. Last year, he finished tied for 16th, and he tied for 10th during his freshman year.
“I had a good overall day, I just messed up a couple times,” Lee said. “I was even par on the front nine, and one over on the back nine. Just kind of like a slow, rough, but decent round.”
Lee posted a two-day score of 143, which tied him for third with HS Chang from Cedar Park.
A pair of Dallas Highland Park golfers took the top two spots. Turner Hosch was second with a 141, and Trip Carter ran away with the state title, finishing at 134.
“I knew that I had to play well, because I have played with a lot of those leaders in tournaments outside of high school competition,” Lee said. “I knew what they were capable of, and I knew what I was capable of. I knew if I wanted to compete, I would have to be about five under. Then, Trip Cater was on fire. He was 68 yesterday, and then he came back with a 6-under 66 today to take home the title.
“Just by playing with these guys outside of the Valley, it’s definitely a great experience.”
Lee’s ability to keep his nerves in check sets him apart from other high school golfers. He showed that again Tuesday, when he made a great shot to save par after going into the water. His calmness and consistency were on display as he started his second round with nine straight pars.
“The biggest lesson I learned today was to stay patient,” Lee said. “The first day I stayed really patient and finished two under. The first nine holes, I stayed true to that. I didn’t have a single birdie or bogey, all nine pars. I was really a little stressed toward the end of the front nine, because I was hitting a lot of good shots, a lot of good putts, but it just wasn’t dropping. So when I made the turn, I just stayed patient and didn’t change my approach or my swing. For 10, 11 and 12, I went birdie-birdie-birdie. It taught me so much about how golf never ends. Every shot counts. You never know who is where. Golf is just you against the course when you are out there.”
Lee said the key to his success was his short game.
“White Wing, I had played it once before,” Lee said. “Our coach got us into a tournament there. It was good preparation for the actual state tournament. When I first got up there, I really didn’t favor the course as much as I do now.
“I have a whole different perspective on this course. It’s a really nice course that you really have to place your shot on. You can’t just take out a drive and hit and try to get as close to the hole as possible. Instead, it’s about where do I need to put this to set up my next shot. The approach onto the green is much more important than being close on your first shot.”
Lee said he needed some time to work out how to play the course, but having now played it for the state tournament, he has a new appreciation for the course.
“I can officially say that this course has been a great experience for me, and I had a lot of fun being able to play on a course like this,” Lee said. “You don’t find a lot of courses like this anymore, where you have to place a shot off the tee with your 3-iron.”
Lee is eager to continue his steady rise up the state leaderboards next year.
“A huge fire has been lit inside me to get first place next year,” Lee said. “It’s such a big fire, that it might be the biggest blaze in the world.”
At the Class 6A tournament at Legacy Hills Golf Club, also in Georgetown, McAllen Memorial senior C.W. Phillips had a lot of ground to cover in Tuesday’s second round.
Phillips shot a first-round 83 Monday, which tied him for 64th overall. He improved his score Tuesday with a 6-over 78. He rose to finish tied for 62nd overall.

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VALLEY HS GOLF RESULTS

UIL Class 6A Boys State Tournament

Tuesday, May 15

Final Round

Team Scores

1, Austin Westlake, 283-290 — 573; 2, Austin Vandergrift, 294-287 — 581; 3, Houston Memorial, 293-289 — 582; 4, Plano West, 296-293 — 589; 5, Clear Springs, 293-299 — 592; 6, Humble Kingwood, 295-299 — 594; T7, Dallas Jesuit, 301-297 — 598; T7, Southlake Carroll, 291-307 — 598; T7, Houston Stratford, 301-297 — 598; 10, San Antonio Johnson, 302-298 — 600; 11, Humble Atascocita, 309-298 — 607; 12, McKinney Boyd, 326-311 — 637.

Individual Scores

*-won playoff for second place

1, Matthew Riedel, Houston Stratford, 68-67 — 135

*T2, Matthew Denton, Austin Westlake, 70-67 — 137

T2, Tommy Boone, Plano, 7-67 — 137

T4, Pierceson Coody, Plano West, 69-70 — 139

T4, Andre Jacobs, Clear Springs, 69-70 — 139

6, William Moll, Houston Memorial, 69-71 — 140

T7, Jack Randle, Woodlands College Park, 73-68 — 141

T7, Trey Bosco, Austin Lake Travis, 73-68 — 141

T9, J. Holland Humphries, Austin Westlake, 67-75 — 142

T9, Garrett Martin, San Antonio Johnson, 72-70 — 142

T9, Christian Hansen, San Antonio Reagan, 70-72 — 142

Other Valley Leaders

T62, C.W. Phillips, McAllen Memorial, 83-78 — 161

UIL Class 5A Boys State Tournament

Tuesday, May 15

Final Round

Team Scores

*-won playoff for second place

1, Dallas Highland Park, 286-278 — 564; *T2, Frisco Centennial, 296-301 — 597; T2, Cedar Park, 301-296 — 597; 4, Boerne Champion, 302-305 — 607; 5, Granbury, 304-307 — 611; 6, Georgetown, 311-319 — 630; 7, Magnolia, 320-311 — 631; 8, Lubbock Cooper, 315-324 — 639; 9, Dripping Springs, 314-327 — 641; 10, Colleyville Heritage, 332-321 — 653; 11, Austin, 336-325 — 661; 12, Wichita Falls Rider, 345-326 — 671.

Individual Scores

1, Trip Carter, Dallas Highland Park, 68-66 — 134

2, Turner Hosch, Dallas Highland Park, 73-68 — 141

T3, HS Chang, Cedar Park, 75-68 — 143

T3, Jun Min Lee, Sharyland High, 70-73 — 143

5, Henry Frizzell, Frisco Centennial, 72-72 — 144

T6, Ben Dune, Cedar Park, 72-73 — 145

T6, Vishnu Sadagopan, Alvin Shadow Creek, 74-71 — 145

T8, Phil Price, Georgetown, 73-73 — 146

T8, Kyle Cox, Carrollton Creekview, 73-73 — 146

T10, Scott Roden, Dallas Highland Park, 73-74 — 147

T10, Hudson Weibel, Dallas Highland Park, 72-75 — 147

T10, Jake Holbrook, Granbury, 67-80 — 147

VALLEY HS BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Regional quarterfinals

Thursday, May 17

Class 6A

Edinburg Vela vs. Los Fresnos at PSJA High, 7 pm.

Friday, May 18

Class 6A

McAllen High vs. Laredo Alexander at Roma, 7 p.m.

Edinburg Vela at Los Fresnos, 7 pm.

Saturday, May 19

Class 6A

McAllen High vs. Laredo Alexander at Roma, noon (Game 3 will be 30 minutes later, if necessary)

Edinburg Vela vs. Los Fresnos at PSJA High, 2 pm.

SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

HIDALGO — Valley View senior shortstop Ricardo Sanchez learned to play baseball from his family.

His father was a professional player in Mexico, and his mother came from a baseball family.

They got Sanchez into baseball early on, and he has loved the sport ever since.

“My dad taught me how to play the game,” Sanchez said. “He has always been supportive of me and helped me get better.”

Sanchez’s father quit playing pro baseball when Sanchez’s older brother was born.

“Money has been tight in our family sometimes,” Sanchez said.

His father’s work often prevents him from seeing Sanchez’s games. But when the elder Sanchez has the time, he makes the effort to go and support his son, even if just for an inning or two.

“When I see him at my games, it means a lot,” Sanchez said. “I know he would love to be at every one of my games, so it’s a blessing any time he is there.”

Sanchez’s mother is always at the games to support Ricardo and his younger brother Orlando, who is a sophomore outfielder for the Tigers.

Sanchez said he got his fighting spirit from his father, and that has shown on the field this year for the Tigers.

This season, Ricardo Sanchez hit .389 with 30 runs scored and 12 stolen bases on 14 attempts. His efforts helped spark the Tigers, who won their first district title since 2006. The championship was also the team’s first in Class 5A. The Tigers went 21-8-1 overall and 14-2 in District 31-5A. The Tigers led the charge as the Valley claimed all four of the district’s playoff spots, leaving the three Laredo teams home for the postseason. Then, the Tigers led the way again as 31-5A swept 32-5A in the bi-district round.

“We were actually down 5-1 in the first game,” senior third baseman Edilberto Reyes said of Game 1 in Valley View’s bi-district matchup against Brownsville Pace last weekend.

Down four, the Tigers relied on the experience of seniors like Reyes, Ricardo Sanchez and Felipe Chavez to keep their poise and begin to rally.

“We told them to relax and play our game,” Ricardo Sanchez said. “We have been able to put up big innings all year. We needed some there, and we got them.”

Valley View posted a 10-run inning in response to take Game 1 by a commanding score of 19-6. The confidence from Game 1 carried over into Game 2, which Valley View won 10-0 to sweep the series.

“It was a good series,” Valley View coach Mario Gonzalez said in Spanish. “We saw a lot of heart from our kids, and that series gave us even more confidence.”

Valley View begins its area round series with Corpus Christi King at 7 tonight at Tuloso-Midway High School.

“They are a very good team,” Gonzalez said. “They have a lefty who can be really tough to hit.”

Reyes said he hasn’t faced a left-handed pitcher all year, but the Tigers aren’t too concerned because they have five left-handed batters in their lineup.

Sanchez hasn’t been the only driving force for Valley View. Jaret Ornelas hit .516 this year with 34 runs scored and 17 RBIs. Chavez, the catcher, hit .465 with a team-high 36 RBIs.

“He is also great on defense,” Gonzalez said. “He is a brick wall back there, with his ability to block the ball. He also has great framing, which can really help our pitching staff out.”

Reyes was right behind Chavez with 35 RBIs and a .486 batting average.

Even freshman Gustavo Enriquez has risen to the challenge. Enriquez has been the pitcher to get the ball in big spots despite his inexperience. He led the team with 33 2/3 innings pitched and 40 strikeouts.

“I felt comfortable right away,” Enriquez said. “The players welcomed me, and they had my back when I was on the mound. They have become like brothers to me.”

Not only is Enriquez new to Valley View, he is new to the country, as well, having moved to the United States from Mexico less than a year ago. He said his family moved here to give him an opportunity to succeed in baseball and school to potentially secure his college education.

“They sacrificed a lot for me,” Enriquez said in Spanish. “My dad still has to go back for work, but they make it work to help me.”

Not only does Ricardo Sanchez’s attitude embody what the Tigers aspire to be, but his work with the glove in the field sets the tone for the team.

“He is probably the best defender in our district,” Gonzalez said. “No one, but him, can make some of the plays he makes, and his instincts are so natural.”

Ricardo Sanchez is headed to Alvin Community College after this year to join his longtime friend Dylan Dougherty, who played for the Hidalgo Pirates last year.

“We played together ever since we were little,” Ricardo Sanchez said. “I am so proud of what he has done this year, and I can’t wait to be there with him next year.”

For now, though, Ricardo Sanchez has his eyes on only one thing.

“We can’t wait to play King. We are going to give it everything we have. I can’t think of a better way to end my high school career, than by winning my first district title and going to the third round for the first time in my career in the same season.”

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VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 10

Class 6A

Los Fresnos at Mission High, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 11

Class 6A

Mission High at Los Fresnos, 7 p.m.

PSJA High at McAllen High, 7 p.m.

Brownsville Hanna vs. Laredo Alexander at UTRGV, 7 p.m.

Edinburg Vela vs. Eagle Pass at UniTrade Stadium, Laredo, 7 p.m.

Class 5A

Corpus Christi Carroll at Rio Grande City, 6 p.m.

Corpus Christi King vs. Valley View at Tuloso-Midway, 7 p.m.

Sharyland High at Calallen, 7 p.m.

Sharyland Pioneer vs. Corpus Christi Veterans at Alice, 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 12

Class 6A

Edinburg Vela vs. Eagle Pass at UniTrade Stadium, Laredo, 11 a.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

Los Fresnos at Mission High, 1 p.m. (if needed)

McAllen High at PSJA High, 1 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

Brownsville Hanna vs. Laredo Alexander, noon or 1 p.m. at UTRGV. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

Class 5A

Sharyland Pioneer vs. Corpus Christi Veterans at Alice, 1 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

Corpus Christi King vs. Valley View at Elsa, 1 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

Calallen at Sharyland High, 3 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

Rio Grande City at Corpus Christi Carroll (Cabaniss Field), 3 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

ROMA — After a series full of McAllen High Bulldogs left on base, the first inning of Game 3 felt like déjà vu.

McAllen High senior first baseman Abanny Garcia reached on a two-out double against Laredo United, but the Bulldogs couldn’t get him in.

“We had players left on base in almost every inning yesterday,” McAllen High coach Eliseo Pompa said. “We were getting hits. We just couldn’t get those timely hits when we needed them. … In that first inning, it was more of the same thing. We just couldn’t get a hit at the right time.”

In the fourth, Garcia again doubled, and this time the Bulldogs would not be denied. Senior catcher Nate Quintanilla blasted a double that gave Garcia plenty of time to trot home for the game’s first run.

“Everyone was cheering me on,” Quintanilla said. “We were all pumped up from that one run. We all started to focus and play good ball.”

The run gave McHi life, senior pitcher Robbie Maldonado spun a gem, and the Bulldogs went on to take the Class 6A bi-district series by virtue of their 2-1 win in Game 3 on Saturday at Roma High School.

“It was a great series to start our postseason, because we had to battle, and we had to fight,” sophomore shortstop Aaron Nixon said. “We know we can, but actually seeing it on the field was big for this team, especially the guys who have never been here before.”

Many fans have been wondering if McHi has been tested enough this year. That question was answered in this series. Pompa said United was one of the toughest teams the Bulldogs have faced this season.

“In a playoff series, you throw away the records, the seeds,” Pompa said. “There is a lot of history and pride at Laredo United. When they get into the playoffs, they expect to go three or four rounds. We are in the same boat. Just two good teams that went after it against each other.”

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Bulldogs, who advance to face PSJA High, which won its Game 3 against Weslaco High on Saturday.

“They are a good team,” Quintanilla said. “It will be exciting to have a series back at home. And we are coming for them.”

Garcia and Quintanilla are veterans who have been pushed to the limits in the playoffs before. On Saturday, the duo combined to give McAllen High life with its season on the brink. McAllen High won Game 1 6-3, but Laredo United took Game 2 5-1.

The Bulldogs scored the winning run in the bottom of the fifth. Nixon came up to bat with two outs and the bases empty.

“It was a curveball in,” Nixon said of the first pitch. “I was looking fastball away, but that’s my approach. I just stuck to it, and I hit it.”

Nixon’s blast to left had serious velocity, but it didn’t have a lot of arc to it.

“When I first hit it, I thought it was a line drive,” Nixon said. “Then I saw it carrying, and after my first few steps, I knew it was gone.”

The ball got out in a hurry, barely clearing the wall in left.

Coming into Saturday’s game, Maldonado had only thrown four innings this year because of shoulder tendinitis. But, in the biggest moment, he stepped up. Maldonado battled through all 112 pitches on Saturday, getting the complete-game win with eight strikeouts, allowing just three hits.

“He pitched his heart out,” Pompa said. “He said he has been ready for a week. He did a god job today. He hung in there, and he wasn’t coming out until he got the final out.”

Maldonado was gutsy throughout. He hit his stride in the third, retiring the side in order and fanning the first two Longhorns hitters. In the sixth and seventh, Maldonado fought through exhaustion and multiple base runners, but he kept his team in the game, getting outs at crucial junctures.

“My teammates were behind me,” Maldonado said. “They told me to keep my poise and just focus on getting that last out.”

With runners at first and third, Maldonado induced a ground ball that was handled by the Bulldogs defense for the final out.

“It was a tremendous feeling,” Maldonado said. “That was my first complete game in over a year. And we are moving on in the playoffs. There is nothing better than that.”

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VALLEY HS BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 3

Class 6A

PSJA High 4, Weslaco High 0

Los Fresnos 5, Edinburg North 4

Brownsville Hanna 9, PSJA North 5

McAllen High 6, Laredo United 3

Mission High 3 ,San Antonio Southwest 1

Class 5A

Valley View 19, Brownsville Pace 6

Sharyland Pioneer 7, Brownsville Veterans 6

Brownsville Lopez 4, Rio Grande City 3

Edcouch-Elsa 2, Sharyland High 1

Friday, May 4

Class 6A

Mission High 8, San Antonio Southwest 3, Mission High wins series 2-0

Edinburg North 5, Los Fresnos 4

Edinburg Vela 10, Harlingen High 0

Weslaco High 2, PSJA High 1

Brownsville Hanna 8, PSJA North 4, Brownsville Hanna wins series 2-0

Eagle Pass 7, La Joya High 0

Laredo United 5, McAllen High 1

Class 5A

Valley View 10, Brownsville Pace 0, Valley View wins series 2-0

Brownsville Veterans 9, Sharyland Pioneer 1

Sharyland High 6, Edcouch-Elsa 4

Saturday, May 5

Class 6A

PSJA High 8, Weslaco High 0, PSJA High wins series 2-1

McAllen High 2, Laredo United 1, McAllen High wins series 2-1

Los Fresnos 11, Edinburg North 2, Los Fresnos wins series 2-1

Eagle Pass 11, La Joya High 0, Eagle Pass wins series 2-0

Edinburg Vela 10, Harlingen High 2, Edinburg Vela wins series 2-0

Laredo Alexander 2, McAllen Rowe 0, Laredo Alexander wins series 1-0

Class 5A

Rio Grande City 13, Brownsville Lopez 2, Rio Grande City wins series 2-1

Sharyland Pioneer 10, Brownsville Veterans 0, Sharyland Pioneer wins series 2-1

Sharyland High 10, Edcouch-Elsa 4, Sharyland wins series 2-1

Class 4A

Kingsville King 3, Grulla 2, Kingsville King wins series 1-0

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — In front of a capacity crowd at Edinburg Vela on Friday night, senior Aaron Galvan rose to the occasion and got his team a win.

The SaberCats beat the Harlingen High Cardinals 10-0 in six innings to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three Class 6A bi-district series.

Galvan pitched six shutout innings, striking out nine.

“I felt a little tight. The velocity that I wanted wasn’t there,” Galvan said. “I threw a couple balls and got out of the inning pretty fast. I made them swing at some bad pitches. Overall, I felt a little tight throughout the game. I never got comfortable. I was just trying to push my way through it.”

Not only was Galvan fighting through the stiffness, but he dealt with the elements, as well. A steady drizzle came down most of the evening, and Galvan relied on a rosin bag to help keep his hands dry.

“He competed tonight,” Vela coach Jaime Perez said. “He wasn’t quite as electric on the mound as he has been recently, but he competed and made pitches when he needed to. He’s our big-game guy.”

Galvan wasn’t just a threat on the mound. In the bottom of the first, Harlingen starter Justin Reta looked to have his nerves in check, striking out Vela’s Matthew de la Cruz on three pitches to start the inning. Galvan stepped into the box with two outs and blasted a home run to right-center field. That one run was already enough, but the spark allowed Vela to get going and throw up nine more runs before the night was done.

“That was huge. We had back-to-back strikeouts, and he comes up and hits a bomb,” Perez said. “That kind of deflated their momentum a little bit. That — in my opinion — set the tone a little bit. After that, we were able to barrel some balls up.”

In the second, junior first baseman Eric Martinez reached on a leadoff walk. Freshman catcher Jaime Perez Jr., son of coach Perez, hit a single to put runners at first and third. Junior third baseman Yulean Torrellas hit a triple that drove in both runners and busted the game wide open.

“That was a big inning for us,” the younger Perez said. “Once we got under their skin, they started to panic. They couldn’t throw any off-speed stuff for a strike, so it was all fastballs. We just started barreling up those fastballs and turning them into hits.”

Vela added three more in the third, highlighted by a leadoff solo shot to the opposite field from Rodriguez.

“He stands tall and lets his hands do the work,” coach Perez said. “He’s a big, strong kid at 6-2, 200 pounds. He’s a big boy. He barreled one up, and it got out of here.”

Rodriguez hit the dinger on the first pitch

“They had been pitching me fastball away on the first pitch,” Rodriguez said. “So, I was thinking fastball first pitch. I just let my hands go through, and the ball went out to left field.”

The SaberCats added one in the fifth and closed it out in the sixth with an RBI single from junior shortstop Ramsey Amador.

The series resumes at 3 p.m. today at Harlingen High School. Game 3 would be played 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2, should a Game 3 be necessary.

“(To 10-run them in Game 1) is a big statement, and it gives us a lot of confidence going into Game 2,” Rodriguez said. “Seeing how we did tonight gave us a lot of confidence.”

Four years ago, Galvan was a freshman, and he was on the team that won Vela’s first ever bi-district title in baseball. Now, as a senior, he led Vela to its first ever district title.

“Over the last four years, I’ve grown up a lot,” Galvan said. “This team has grown up a lot. Coach Perez has tightened up on us, knowing the talent that we have. I couldn’t be any more grateful for what he has done for this team and this program. He’s a great coach, and we believe in him.”

On Friday, Galvan was the spark that ignited the SaberCats with his first-inning bomb.

“That home run really boosted us,” Galvan’s catcher Perez said. “He is the heart of our team, and he gets us going. Whenever we need something, he gets it done. He’s the man.”

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VALLEY HS BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 3

Class 6A

PSJA High 4, Weslaco High 0

Los Fresnos 5, Edinburg North 4

Brownsville Hanna 9, PSJA North 5

McAllen High 6, Laredo United 3

Mission High 3 ,San Antonio Southwest 1

Class 5A

Valley View 19, Brownsville Pace 6

Sharyland Pioneer 7, Brownsville Veterans 6

Brownsville Lopez 4, Rio Grande City 3

Edcouch-Elsa 2, Sharyland High 1

Friday, May 4

Class 6A

Mission High 8, San Antonio Southwest 3, Mission High wins series 2-0

Edinburg North 5, Los Fresnos 4

Edinburg Vela 10, Harlingen High 0

Weslaco High 2, PSJA High 1

Brownsville Hanna 8, PSJA North 4, Brownsville Hanna wins series 2-0

Eagle Pass 7, La Joya High 0

Laredo United 5, McAllen High 1

Class 5A

Valley View 10, Brownsville Pace 0, Valley View wins series 2-0

Brownsville Veterans 9, Sharyland Pioneer 1

Sharyland High 6, Edcouch-Elsa 4

Saturday, May 5

Class 6A

PSJA High 8, Weslaco High 0, PSJA High wins series 2-1

McAllen High 2, Laredo United 1, McAllen High wins series 2-1

Los Fresnos 11, Edinburg North 2, Los Fresnos wins series 2-1

Eagle Pass 11, La Joya High 0, Eagle Pass wins series 2-0

Edinburg Vela 10, Harlingen High 2, Edinburg Vela wins series 2-0

Laredo Alexander 2, McAllen Rowe 0, Laredo Alexander wins series 1-0

Class 5A

Rio Grande City 13, Brownsville Lopez 2, Rio Grande City wins series 2-1

Sharyland Pioneer 10, Brownsville Veterans 0, Sharyland Pioneer wins series 2-1

Sharyland High 10, Edcouch-Elsa 4, Sharyland wins series 2-1

Class 4A

Kingsville King 3, Grulla 2, Kingsville King wins series 1-0

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

ELSA — Game 1 of the best-of-three UIL Class 5A bi-district playoff series between the Edcouch-Elsa Yellow Jackets and the Sharyland High Rattlers was a pitchers’ duel from start to finish.

Junior Ben Rangel started for the Yellow Jackets and was the difference Thursday, going the distance with five strikeouts and five hits allowed to lead E-E to a 2-1 win.

Rangel was ready to go early Thursday morning. When he got to school, he stopped by to see his coaches, and he said to them, “Coach, I am ready to go, and I want to start the game already.”

When Rangel reached the mound to start the game, with his family in the stands to support him and his teammates behind him, Rangel’s confidence never faded.

“When I got out there, I felt good,” Rangel said. “My boys helped me get the momentum. The crowd was packed, all the noise. I was amped, and I was ready to pitch.”

Rangel moved his fastball in and out, keeping Sharyland hitters guessing all night.

“Ben is a workhorse. That kid has showed so much heart each and every day,” E-E coach Ryan Garza said. “Ben is playing his heart out right now, and we can’t ask any more of him.”

Sharyland’s starter, sophomore Andy Lozano, also pitched well. The youngster struggled a bit in the first, adjusting to the stakes and pressure in his first playoff game. But after one run came across in the bottom of the first, Lozano was like a boxer who tastes his own blood. He snapped to and started to deal.

Lozano went all six, striking out seven and walking just one, but the eight hits and two earned runs he allowed were the difference in the ballgame.

“He didn’t have his best stuff tonight,” Sharyland coach Barton Bickerton said. “But he did his job tonight. If he is only going to give up two runs, we expect to win that game.”

The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases to start the bottom of first inning, bringing senior third baseman Marin Rodriguez to the plate with no outs.

Lozano worked Rodriguez away, throwing a few curveballs early.

“I saw the ball all the way in, and I tired to get a dinger,” Rodriguez said. “I didn’t get enough on it, but it was the sac fly, and that was big for the team.”

Rangel notched three strikeouts in the top of the second, launching the battle between Rangel and Lozano for the next few innings.

Edcouch-Elsa scored the second run in the fourth, when sophomore right fielder Alex Noyola singled, advanced on a wild pitch, moved to third on a single and made a great read on a liner.

“That was huge. We tried to send the runner on a hit-and-run,” Garza said. “That sent the shortstop toward second. Alex did a good job of waiting first, and then taking off. He had a great read on that ball, and it worked out for us.”

Noyola’s run, which was driven in by sophomore center fielder Isaias Bocanegra, proved to be the difference in the game.

Game 2 is at 7 tonight at Sharyland High. The game has the potential to be another pitchers’ duel with senior Joseph Gonzalez scheduled to be on the bump for E-E and junior Ivan Alvarez penciled in for Sharyland. A site and time for Saturday’s Game 3 will be determined after tonight’s game, if needed.

“We are just lucky that it is a series,” Bickerton said. “None of these kids have ever been in a playoff game before. So, we had some guys jumping at pitches when they shouldn’t have (tonight), but they just needed to settle down.”

“We just have to finish it,” Garza said. “By no means is the series over. We know that they are very capable of coming back. They are a very good team. We just have to stay focused and play the next game as if we were home again.”

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VALLEY HS BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 3

Class 6A

PSJA High 4, Weslaco High 0, PSJA High leads series 1-0

Los Fresnos 5, Edinburg North 4, Los Fresnos leads series 1-0

Brownsville Hanna 9, PSJA North 5, Brownsville Hanna leads series 1-0

McAllen High 6, Laredo United 3, McAllen High leads series 1-0

Mission High 3, San Antonio Southwest 1, Mission High leads series 1-0

Class 5A

Valley View 19, Brownsville Pace 6, Valley View leads series 1-0

Sharyland Pioneer 7, Brownsville Veterans 6, Sharyland Pioneer leads series 1-0

Brownsville Lopez 4, Rio Grande City 3, Brownsville Lopez leads series 1-0

Edcouch-Elsa 2, Sharyland High 1, Edcouch-Elsa leads series 1-0

Friday, May 4

Class 6A

Mission High vs. San Antonio Southwest at Calallen, 4:30 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

McAllen Rowe vs. Laredo Alexander at Roma, 7 p.m.

Los Fresnos at Edinburg North, 7 p.m.

Harlingen High at Edinburg Vela, 7 p.m.

PSJA High at Weslaco High, 7 p.m.

PSJA North at Brownsville Hanna, 7 p.m.

La Joya High vs. Eagle Pass at Laredo SAC, 7 p.m.

Laredo United vs. McAllen High at Unitrade Stadium, Laredo, 7:30 p.m.

Class 5A

Brownsville Pace at Valley View, 7 p.m.

Brownsville Veterans at Sharyland Pioneer, 7 p.m.

Brownsville Lopez at Rio Grande City, 7 p.m.

Edcouch-Elsa at Sharyland High, 7 p.m.

Class 4A

Kingsville King at Grulla, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 5

Class 6A

Weslaco High at PSJA High, 1 p.m. (if needed)

PSJA North at Brownsville Hanna, 1 p.m. (if needed)

McAllen High vs. Laredo United at Roma, 2 p.m. (if needed)

Los Fresnos at Edinburg North, 2 p.m. (if needed)

La Joya High vs. Eagle Pass at Laredo SAC, 2:30 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

Harlingen High at Edinburg Vela, 3 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

McAllen Rowe vs. Laredo Alexander at Roma, 5 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)

Class 5A

Valley View at Brownsville Pace, 3 p.m.

Sharyland Pioneer vs. Brownsville Veterans (site and time TBD)

Rio Grande City at Brownsville Lopez, 1 p.m. (if needed)

Sharyland High at Edcouch-Elsa, 12:30 p.m. (if needed)

Class 4A

Grulla at Kingsville King, 2 p.m. (if needed, Game 3 will be played 30 minutes later)