Coyotes hold off Mustangs in playoff chase
BY BRYAN RAMOS | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN —The postseason may be six games away for District 30-6A teams, but for La Joya High Coyotes treated Friday night’s matchup against the McAllen Memorial Mustangs like the playoffs.
Both teams entered the game with 4-4 district records, yet the Coyotes managed to hold off the Mustangs despite a late rally for a 6-4 victory. La Joya High coach Mario Flores told his group they had to take care of business against a solid Memorial team.
“We started off good, but we kind of let off toward the end there. I kept reminding the guys that the playoffs started today. We got to take care of the games we got to win and it started today,” Flores said.
The Coyotes jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two runs during the second and third innings of Memorial errors and RBIs by Angel Solis and Elias Morales. Morales also hit a two-run triple during the top of the fifth as he went 4 for 4 on the night with three RBIs and one run.
La Joya freshman lefty JC Gutierrez got the start for the Coyotes and cruised through the first two innings before running into trouble in the third.
After walking in one run with the bases loaded, Gutierrez struck out the next two Mustang batters. La Joya High’s Alan Delgado followed that up with a web gem from second base as he dove to snag a ball before it rolled into right field in time to throw the Memorial runner out at first off his back.
“We kept telling each other if one guy slacks, the other guy has to pick him up, and that’s what we did tonight. JC did a hell of a job on the mound. I know that inning was kind of stressful, but Alan did a hell of a job with a hell of a catch,” Flores said.
Gutierrez struck out seven batters in four innings, surrendering just one run and three hits.
The Mustangs rallied in the bottom of the fifth off La Joya’s Solis with three RBIs from David Carreon, Ronnie Zamora and JT Eddy. It wasn’t enough as the loss moves Memorial to 4-5 in district play.
The win gives La Joya a 5-4 record in District 30-6A and in sole possession of fourth place.