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Edinburg High is one win from the Class 6A regional semifinals.
Behind dominant pitching from junior Texas Tech commit John Gonzalez, the Bobcats blanked Laredo United 1-0 in Game 1 of their regional quarterfinal series Friday in Roma.
Gonzalez pitched a complete game and allowed three hits. It was his double to right center in the seventh inning that started a surge for the Bobcats. Daniel Solis followed with a RBI single that scored pinch runner Manny Ybarra for the game-winning run.
“It was evenly matched the whole way,” Edinburg High coach Robert Valdez said. “It was truly a pitcher’s duel. The ability for John to get ahead of hitters was big. He was spotting his fastball really well. He cruised, to his credit.
“He had those hitters guessing.”
It was ace versus ace. United threw Bernie Martinez, who, too, surrendered just three hits. But two of those came in the crucial seventh.
“Bernie is a power pitcher, similar to John,” Valdez said. “We were pulling off some balls early in the game. He kept us honest with the off-speed stuff. But we started stringing out at-bats and made the adjustment of trying to drive the ball to right field.”
Game 2 is 11 a.m. today at Roma.
LAREDO ALEXANDER 7, LA JOYA PALMVIEW 1: At La Joya, the Lobos are one loss from elimination after falling to the Bulldogs in Game 1 of their Class 6A regional quarterfinal series.
Alexander, ranked No. 1 in Class 6A in the state by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association, scored four runs in the fourth inning to break the game open. Palmview’s run came on an error in the first inning.
CLASS 4A
HIDALGO 8, ROCKPORT-FULTON 5: At Laredo, the Pirates scored four runs in the third inning to overcome an early 3-0 deficit and take a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three Class 4A regional quarterfinal series.
Rockport-Fulton went with a left-hander on the mound, something Hidalgo had not faced all season. It took some time for the Pirates to break through, but once they did they never let up.
“It took us some time to get going and find that pitcher,” Hidalgo coach Karlos Carrasco said. “Seeing a lefty was a change for us. The ball comes out differently. But once we got comfortable, we were OK.”
Dylan Dougherty led the Pirates with 3-for-4 hitting, including two doubles. Hidalgo managed eight hits.
Ace Oscar Noguera pitched a complete game and struck out 11. He walked one. He threw 50 pitches the first two innings, but just 54 over the final five.
Game 2 is at 11 a.m. today at Veterans Field in Laredo.