MISSION —- Sharyland Pioneer staved off elimination for the second consecutive week by winning Game 2 of its Region IV-5A area-round playoff series against La Joya Palmview 4-3 on Friday at Sharyland Pioneer High School.
The Lobos took Game 1 4-2 on Thursday, setting up a decisive Game 3 between the Diamondbacks (28-7-1) and Lobos (26-8) scheduled for 3 p.m. today at Mission Veterans High School.
“I think it’s a testament to both teams and how they’ve played all year. Records are similar, they’ve got guys over there that know how to play the game and we’ve got guys over here that love to fight,” Pioneer head coach Adrian Leal said. “What can you say about Rene Vela? He does it two weeks in a row. We have a lot of confidence in him, we talk about competing all the time, and he’s an ultimate competitor. He is somebody that will continuously fight until he gets the success that he’s worked hard for, and I’m extremely happy for him because he carried us on his back.”
Vela started another Game 2 facing elimination and pitched a gem with one earned run off six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
“Even with our back against the wall, we’re not done fighting,” Vela said. “We’re going to keep going as long as it takes. They know I’m competitive and I’m going to keep fighting and do whatever it takes to move on.”
Pioneer’s Diego Chapa broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run single during the bottom of the third to score Diego Dominguez and Dannel Marrero. Andy Chapa finished 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk, and Pioneer added another run on a passed ball during the bottom of the second.
Palmview plated two runs during the top of the first off a Josiah Gonzalez RBI double and an error on a ground ball with Gael Gonzalez at third.
“Things didn’t go our way. Both teams are great ball clubs, and we knew they’re a tough team,” Palmview head coach Rick Garcia said. “We had a couple errors on the field, a couple mental errors running the bases, but we have to fix that by (today). (Today’s) another day, and we’ll come out and play again.”
CLASS 5A
GAME 1 – EDINBURG VELA 6, CORPUS CHRISTI VETERANS 4: At Hebbronville, the SaberCats (24-10) scored unanswered runs during the fourth, fifth and seventh innings to take down the Eagles (27-7-1) in Game 1 of their Region IV-5A area round playoff series Friday at Hebbronville High School.
Ryan Botello, Jayden Martinez, Bobby Garcia and Jake Dufner drove in one run apiece for the SaberCats.
Edinburg Vela leads the best-of-three series 1-0. Game 2 is scheduled for noon today at Hebbronville High School with Game 3, if necessary, to be played 30 minutes after Game 2.
CLASS 3A
ONE-GAME PLAYOFF – RIO HONDO 1, TAFT 0: At San Diego, the Bobcats became the Valley’s first team to advance to the regional quarterfinal round of the playoffs this season after their one-run take down of the Greyhounds on Friday at San Diego High School. The area round playoff victory is the team’s first since 2007.
Rio Hondo will meet Corpus Christi London in Round 3. Game details are to be determined.