FREDDY GONZALEZ | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — A two-RBI double by Alina Jasso in the third and a fifth-inning double play was enough to see San Benito past Harlingen South on Tuesday evening.
Jasso’s two RBIs were the difference offensively as the Lady ’Hounds clinched a share of the District 32-6A crown and can win the title outright with a victory over Brownsville Rivera on Friday.
“The girls know how to get it done, however I think our emotions took over today because we started the game very strong and we were having good looks at bat,” said San Benito head coach Kristy Leal. “Toward the end, however, we have to learn how to make adjustments.
“I’m very proud of how my pitchers picked each other up because that was big for us and defensively we made some plays.”
Perhaps the biggest play of the night came in the bottom of the fifth inning with the score 4-2 in favor of San Benito. The Lady Hawks loaded the bases behind two base hits and a walk with just one out on the scoreboard.
However, the Lady Greyhound turned a perfect double play to help survive the lead unscathed.
“We practice those (double plays) every single day, plus it helps when you have someone with a cannon behind home plate,” said Leal of catcher Kim Harper. “Our senior leader knows that that is a bang-bang double play and she is going to make it every time. That play shows that the hard work is paying off.”
In the circle for the Lady ’Hounds, freshman Erika Cortez and junior Diandra Padilla each let in one run. Cortez was subbed out after two innings of work.
For the Lady Greyhounds, a sacrifice hit from third baseman Joanna Gonzalez got the scoring started as Sarah Garcia was able to put San Benito on board in the top of the first. That was followed up as Deztiny Hernandez scored off an error in the second.
Down 2-0 to start the top of the second, Harlingen South got a big boost in confidence after catcher Krystal Gonzalez hit a ball over the center field wall for a home run.
South scored its second run of the night off of a 2-5 error allowing Kaitlynn De La Fuente to jet into home plate, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Unfortunately for South, that was as close as they would come.
The Lady Hawks find themselves in third place and face crosstown rivals Harlingen High on Friday night at Lady Cardinals Field.