JOHN JOE RIVERA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — After starting Game 1 of their Class 6A bi-district playoff matchup against Weslaco East with two strikeouts, the Edinburg High Lady Bobcats tried a different approach to start Game 2. It paid off, as they notched five straight runs early to seal a 12-2 victory on Friday night.
Bobcats pitcher Amber Reyes said her team changed its approach to Weslaco East’s ace Amanda Aguirre in Game 2.
“During athletic period, we worked on our hitting a little bit,” Reyes said. “So, we had a mindset to adjust to her.”
Aguirre put up a valiant effort as she took the mound for the Wildcats despite having pitched a complete game the night before. She finished Friday with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings of work.
Reyes, the leadoff hitter, got on base in the first inning after being hit by a pitch. Maya Zavala followed with a single that allowed Reyes to advance to third base. Bobcats’ catcher Anngie Salinas drove Reyes in with a well-executed bunt to get the scoring started. Cleanup hitter Dezi Marmolejo brought Zavala home with a single. Kayla Contreras then got on base with another walk.
With the bases loaded, sophomore Kristee Salas grounded out to second base, scoring Brianna Sanchez, who entered as a courtesy runner for Salinas. Rebecca Delgado grounded out to the pitcher, which allowed Marmolejo to cross the plate. Freshman Katie Truitt then legged out a single to drive in Contreras to cap the five-run barrage.
“We did a lot better at the plate today. We made some adjustments as far as how we were going to stand in the box,” Bobcats’ coach Ramon Arciba stated. “We worked on some adjustments today during athletics, and then we implemented them during the game. I think it helped, because they weren’t getting jammed anymore. They were seeing every pitch better.
In the top of the second, Kassandra Tirado got the Wildcats on the scoreboard. Following a double to right field, Tirado advanced to third base before scoring on a wild pitch. The Wildcats left two runners stranded in the inning.
Reyes led off the second inning with a double off a blooper to shallow left field. Zavala then drove her in with a booming 2-run home run over the left-field fence. Marmolejo would tack on one more run in the inning to give Edinburg a commanding 8-1 lead.
Weslaco East’s Abigail Ortiz added a run off another wild pitch in the fourth inning following a throwing error that allowed her to reach third base.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Salinas blasted a shot to center field that drove in Zavala yet again. Sanchez entered the game to run for Salinas again, and she was brought in by Salas. Truitt got on first with a single to right field — the third straight hit to that spot — plating Salas.
Zavala capped the scoring and sealed the victory for the Lady Bobcats as she scored on a wild throw by Aguirre.
Despite the loss, Weslaco East coach Adalberto Guerra praised his team’s performance and effort.
“The girls have done a good job the whole season,” Guerra said. “I’m proud of them. Our season came to an end with tonight’s game, but overall the girls played an awesome game.
With the win, the Edinburg High Lady Bobcats advance to the 6A Region IV area round and will face the McAllen High Bulldogs, who eliminated the Eagle Pass Eagles.