MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Things could not have gone any better in Elias Martinez’s playoff coaching debut with the Harlingen South Lady Hawks.
South scored all its runs in the first three innings, but it turned out to be plenty as the Lady Hawks cruised to a 10-6 win over the Edinburg Bobcats Friday night in Game 1 of their best-of-three Class 6A bi-district series.
The Lady Hawks compiled 11 hits in the first three innings off of Bobcats pitcher Desiree Marmolejo, which included a three-run homer by South’s Ashley Reyna to complete a six-run third inning.
Martinez said he felt that Friday’s performance was a sign of his team’s maturing mindset.
“We are playing better and we’re getting used to handling pressure in big-time situations,” Martinez said. “It’s all going to come down to who can make the routine plays under pressure.”
Now down 1-0 in the series, Edinburg head coach Jesse Banda says his team simply needs to rebound.
“South put a lot of pressure on us and our defense didn’t make the plays that they had to,” Banda said. “They jumped on us with 10 runs in the first three innings, and you can’t win giving up 10 runs. Hopefully we will turn it around, play better defense and do a better job hitting the ball.”
The series continues today at Edinburg High School at 5 p.m.
South put up two runs in each of the first innings for a quick 4-1 lead after two complete, but the Lady Bobcats rallied.
With two out and the bases loaded, Edinburg’s Rebecca Delgado smacked a double to deep center field, bringing in three runs to tie the game.
Then, the flood gates opened for the Lady Hawks.
After regaining a three-run lead, South’s Reyna’s three-run homer brought in Ashley Galvan and Kaitlynn De la Fuente and put the Lady Hawks up 10-4.
Edinburg tried to answer in the top of the fourth, but managed only one run and left the bases loaded. The Lady Cats scored just one more run the rest of the way.
South pitcher Gallegos pitched seven innings and allowed nine hits and five earned runs while striking out two for the win.
Marmolejo gave up 13 hits and 10 runs in the loss.