By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Brownsville Veterans Memorial fell behind early as Edcouch-Elsa got its bats going.
The Chargers trailed after the first inning and didn’t have the offensive firepower to match the Yellowjackets output in a 15-5 loss in a District 32-5A game Tuesday at Brownsville Veterans.
Brownsville Veterans didn’t score until the fifth inning, but Edcouch-Elsa had already put seven runs on the board by then. The Yellowjackets exploded for eight more runs during the seventh inning to propel them to a crucial district victory. The Chargers put four runs across the plate in the final inning, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.
“It was huge,” Edcouch-Elsa coach Ryan Garza said of his teams’ offensive output. “This is a tough Brownsville Veterans team. For us to get three runs in the first inning, play small ball here and there, it’s big. To get that lead on that type of team … you can never let up, they showed that at the end.”
Edcouch-Elsa (9-1 in District 32-5A) is now atop the standings as Brownsville Veterans Memorial falls 8-2 in district play. The teams split the series season with each winning on the road, but the Yellowjackets have the upper hand on a district crown with four games to play.
Edcouch-Elsa wasted no time in the first inning, putting three runs across the plate before Brownsville Veterans had its chance at-bat.
The Yellowjackets started the game with three consecutive singles, including Josh Garcia’s RBI-single. Edcouch-Elsa added another on a fielders choice and later Derek Valdez drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home another run and take a 3-0 edge.
“We had a lot of miscues and they made some tremendous plays … they killed our rally in the first inning,” Brownsville Veterans coach Albert Rodriguez said regarding two run-saving catches by the Edcouch-Elsa outfield that changed momentum. “I preach about us having solid defense and we have the whole year. We have to learn to play through the adversity.”
The Yellowjackets scored one more in the second inning on an error to take a 4-0 advantage.
Edcouch-Elsa added three more runs in the fifth inning, including back-to-back RBI-singles by Jarren Garcia and Marin Rodriguez for a 7-0 lead.
The lead was more than enough for the Yellowjackets starter Joseph Gonzalez, who went 6 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on just four hits, walked three and struck out six.
Brownsville Veterans got on the board in the bottom of the fifth — it scored on a fielder’s choice — but trailed 7-1.
The teams went wild offensively in the final inning. Edcouch-Elsa broke it open with eight more to add to its total, including a base-clearing double by AJ Rodriguez and a two-run triple by Joseph Gonzalez.
The Chargers rallied in their last at-bat with an RBI-single by Gilbert Rodriguez, a pair of runs on an error and another on a passed ball, but the early deficit was too great.
Sammy Chapa took the loss for Brownsville Veterans after going six innings and allowed seven runs on eight hits, walked four, struck out five and had one hits batman.
For Edcouch-Elsa it kept it leading District 32-5A with four games to go.
“It’s a big win, but every district win is a big win,” Garza said. “It’s a tough district, by no means are we done or satisfied with this win. But it’s huge to come here to Brownsville and do the same thing they did to us.
“We have to get back to work (today) and get ready for Mercedes.”
For Brownsville Veterans, the loss might refocus the team headed toward the playoffs.
“That’s one hell of a team over there,” Rodriguez said. “We have to have short-term memory and we have to move on. We’ve accomplished so much already, but we’re one game away and tying them back up for district so we have to keep going.
“Hopefully this will keep us hungry for the postseason.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.