By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
LOS FRESNOS — Senior ace and Texas State signee Victor Loa didn’t start a single game on the mound for the Los Fresnos Falcons during the regular season, and only recently pitched a handful of relief innings.
An injury kept the southpaw in a designated hitter role and tossing nothing but bullpens for most of the year. But when his team needed him most, Loa answered the call.
“When we found out we were playing the (PSJA High) Bears … especially when I found out it was only going to be one game, I wanted it to be mine,” Loa said. “I didn’t have my command. I didn’t have my velocity. I had a couple nights where I couldn’t really sleep and was dreading the game, watching all the film I could. Once I threw that first pitch, all the nerves kind of went away and I knew I was going to do whatever I had to do.”
Loa shut down a high-powered PSJA High offense, pitching seven scoreless innings with four hits and nine strikeouts to lead the Falcons to a 3-0 victory in a one-game Class 6A bi-district playoff Friday. Los Fresnos advances to face the winner of the Northside Brennan/Laredo United series in the area round.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” Loa said. “My elbow started hurting, went to some doctors, and a couple doctors were telling me Tommy John. I thought I was going to be out the whole season. But for me to come back and throw in my hometown, on my field, against a very tough Bears team and dominate the way I did, it was a great feeling and a great night for all of us.”
Loa and PSJA High starting pitcher Austin Flores both sat down opposing batters in order through the first two innings. The defenses smoothly handled contact to help keep the innings quiet.
The Bears put a small scoring threat together in the third as shortstop/pitcher Diego Villescas recorded PSJA High’s first hit with a double to left-center, but it couldn’t capitalize.
Los Fresnos responded during the bottom half of the frame and took a 2-0 lead behind a two-out rally. The Falcons put the ball in play, and some shaky defense from the Bears combined with four walks in the frame pushed the runs across.
The Falcons added another run in the fourth in a similar situation. PSJA High turned a double play as Villescas, who took the mound in relief to start the inning, caught a line drive up the middle and threw out an overzealous baserunner at first. Jose Cervantes, Josh Munoz and Sidney Moore each put solid contact in play and drew mishaps from the Bears defense to make it 3-0.
“I told them we were going to face some good pitching, and we just had to hit the ball,” Falcons coach Rene Morales said. “Put it in play and hustle everything out, and put pressure on those guys. We put a little pressure and they bobbled the ball a few times. I’m proud of the team.”
Villescas was the only Bears player to record multiple hits in the contest, and he led off the sixth with his second double of the night. Loa punched out back-to-back batters to end the frame.
“We weren’t sure how Loa was going to come out. That was our question all week,” Bears coach Marco Guajardo said. “We told our kids to just keep fighting and didn’t think he’d last the whole game. We have a good lineup, but my hat’s off to him. He was lights out. We have good hitters, and he shut us down.”
Los Fresnos loaded the bases in the sixth as catcher Jacob Sandoval was hit by a pitch in his second straight plate appearance, then Munoz and Moore sent consecutive doubles to right field. A fielder’s choice and a groundout to the second baseman ended the frame before the Falcons could pad the lead.
The atmosphere was intense throughout the game but turned electric in the top of the seventh with PSJA High down to its final three outs. An errant throw and consecutive singles by Marty Gamboa and Orlando Castillo loaded the bases with one out, sending the already rowdy Bears fans into a frenzy.
Loa fielded a grounder sent back up the middle and got the lead runner at home, then Sandoval fired a laser to first to turn a game-winning double play.
“We knew it was going to be a battle to the seventh inning. They played a great game, we played a great game, and we made a couple more plays than they did,” Morales said. “It feels great to move on to the next round, but I know it’s going to be tough. We’re just happy we advanced, and we’re going to celebrate tonight and then get ready tomorrow morning. (Loa) did a hell of a job tonight for us. That’s one tough kid.”
The Falcons threw their gloves in the air, shouted and jumped with joy after the win. Loa flexed and roared toward the visiting dugout and crowd, overcome with pride after defending his home field for possibly the final time.
“I just thank God and my angels up above. They were with me here today,” Loa said. “To see all these fans here, during the pandemic, felt just like home. It was a playoff atmosphere, and I was really happy with it.”
The loss ends the season for PSJA High, which finished third in a competitive District 31-6A.
“I told them not to hang their heads. We’re young, we have very few seniors, only two really that are starting. I’m glad (the underclassmen) got to experience a game like this, with all this intensity. They were nervous at the start of the game, but no excuses. We just didn’t come through tonight,” Guajardo said.