EDINBURG — The La Joya Palmview Lobos trailed on the scoreboard and were down to their last three outs for their second straight playoff game.
The Lobos, once again, were unfazed.
La Joya Palmview loaded the bases and plated two runs during the bottom of the seventh inning off an RBI single by Mateo Garcia and a walk-off RBI single by Josiah Gonzalez to stun Edinburg Vela 6-5 in Game 1 of their Region IV-5A quarterfinal playoff series at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.
La Joya Palmview (28-8) takes a 1-0 lead over Edinburg Vela (25-11) in their best-of-three third-round series.
| La Joya Palmview teammates celebrates after their victory against Edinburg Vela 6-5 in a Region IV-5A quarterfinal playoff series game 1 at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on Friday, May 19, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez |[email protected]) Joel Martinez |
Game 2 is scheduled for 5 p.m. today at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. Game 3, if necessary, will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game coming in. They’re a great ballclub with a great coaching staff, and this series is not over by a mile,” Palmview head coach Rick Garcia said. “We still have to play them again, and it’s not over til it’s over. We have to keep ourselves humble and keep ourselves prepared for (today), and be ready to do what we need to do.”
Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh, Palmview loaded the bases with a leadoff walk, a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt that moved them to second and third, and an intentional walk. Mateo Garcia singled up the middle to tie the game at 5 with one out. After a flyout to right field, Josiah Gonzalez knocked in the game-winning run with a base hit to left field.
| La Joya Palmview’s Josiah Gonzalez (15) watches his hit sail across the field to bring in the winning run in the seventh inning to defeat Edinburg Vela 5-6 in a Region IV-5A quarterfinal playoff series game 1 at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on Friday, May 19, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez |[email protected]) Joel Martinez |
“We believed in each other, we have faith in each other and we trusted each other,” Gonzalez said. “When I was going up to bat, our third baseman said, ‘I believe in you,’ and I knew when he said it, he meant it. I knew I had to execute and I had to try my best.”
Palmview’s Joe Cerda finished 2-for-2 with two RBIs, one run and one intentional walk. Gonzalez drove in two on 1-for-3 hitting and Garcia went 1-for-4 with the game-tying RBI. Derek Garza earned the win with two strikeouts during the top of the seventh in relief for Garcia.
| La Joya Palmview’s Mateo Garcia (17) pitches against Edinburg Vela in a Region IV-5A quarterfinal playoff series game 1 at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on Friday, May 19, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez |[email protected]) Joel Martinez |
Izzy Perez led Edinburg Vela with a 2-for-2 day with two RBIs. Jake Dufner, Luke Esparza and AJ Reyes had one RBI apiece. Dufner also finished with three runs scored.
| Edinburg Vela’s Jake Dufner (21) celebrate his hit on first base against La Joya Palmview in a Region IV-5A quarterfinal playoff series game 1 at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on Friday, May 19, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez |[email protected]) Joel Martinez |
SaberCats pitcher Santiago Montes pitched six innings and gave up two earned runs off five hits and one walk, striking out five.