BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — Friday night marked the first district meeting between Edinburg High and Edinburg Vela, but it wasn’t their first get-together of the season.
The Bobcats and SaberCats suited up against each other on Feb. 17 at the Mission Fastpitch Festival. Edinburg Vela had enough timely hitting to down Edinburg High.
“We played a really good team in San Benito in a late game the night before,” Edinburg High pitcher Erika Cortez said. “We had to get up early in the morning, and we were still kind of exhausted. We gave it everything we had, so we were beat up by the time we played (Edinburg) Vela.”
Edinburg High (17-5) had Friday’s game circled on its calendar weeks in advance. Before a packed house at Edinburg Vela, the Bobcats jumped on the SaberCats early in their 7-1 win.
Edinburg High coach Ramon Arciba went with a small-ball strategy in the first inning, scoring three runs before the SaberCats had their first at-bat.
“We wanted to put some pressure on their corner defenders,” Arciba said. “We were able to put some bunts down to get some runners, and our big stick helped give us a big lead.”
With one out in the top half of the first, EHS shortstop Maya Zavala bunted and reached first base on an error. Kristee Salas followed Zavala with a walk, and both runners moved to second and third on separate wild pitches by Edinburg Vela pitcher Naomi Reyes.
Cortez, the Bobcats’ cleanup hitter, smashed a single to center that scored Zavala and Salas.
“The difference today is that we came out here and we were patient,” Cortez said. “We were letting her (Reyes) pitch to us. Let us see the ball so we can hit it. Last time we played them, we were just swinging.”
In the circle, Cortez provided another sharp performance. She gave up five hits and an unearned run in seven innings while also striking out 10 SaberCats and walking none.
“We were all in the zone tonight,” Cortez said. “We knew we had something to prove that Edinburg High has still got it. We’re a talented group. This was our way of saying, ‘Don’t count us out.’”
Edinburg Vela (17-3) committed four errors on Friday, in addition to Reyes’ wild pitches in the first. Reyes, a senior, spent her freshman season as an Edinburg High Bobcat.
“I don’t know if she was nervous, but they hit the ball,” Edinburg Vela coach Jon Maples said. “Erika’s line shot (in the first inning) came on a pitch with great location, and she connected on it. Those girls are talented enough that one through nine in that lineup, somebody can go out and get a big hit.”
Arciba is now 3-0 against Edinburg Vela in district competition since he became the Bobcats’ coach in 2017. Edinburg’s win could have ripple effects across the Valley and the state. In the latest Texas Girls Coaches Association softball poll, released Monday, Edinburg High was ranked 16th statewide in Class 6A, while Edinburg Vela checked in at No. 6.
“When it comes to polls and rankings, those all go out the window,” Arciba said. “We were ranked up to No. 4 last year, and look at what happened to us at the end of the year. We couldn’t get out of the Valley (in the playoffs). We just have to play our game, and everything else will take care of itself.”