BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — As both teams inch closer to the end of the first round of district play, La Joya High and McAllen Rowe met for the first time this district season with a lot riding on the result of Friday’s game.
The Coyotes were a perfect 4-0 and held a one-game lead over the second-place Warriors in District 30-6A. A win for the Warriors would have forced a tie for first.
All of Rowe’s hopes for a share of the district lead were dashed after Jessica Reyna, La Joya High’s designated player, singled in catcher Kassy Villarreal in the ninth inning to lift the Coyotes to an 8-7 win.
“We were very fortunate to win this game, because they (McAllen Rowe) played very well,” La Joya High coach Carlos Rodriguez said. “We had to withstand their charge until the ninth inning. Our kids fought hard, and they kept their composure.”
La Joya (17-8, 5-0) jumped out to an early lead through an inning and a half thanks to a two-run triple by third baseman Alex Alaniz. The Coyotes had a 4-0 lead, but the Warriors strung a few hits together in the second inning — including a game-tying single by freshman third baseman Ziomara Jasso — to knot the game at four.
During the top half of fifth, La Joya High took advantage of windy conditions and poor fielding by McAllen Rowe to jump back ahead. Second baseman Leslie Ochoa reached base on an infield single to start the inning and moved to second on an errant throw. Later in the inning, Villarreal popped a fly ball to Rowe shortstop Valerie Gallardo, who dropped the routine chance in short left field. The error brought Ochoa home to score. The Coyotes tacked on two more runs to lead 7-4.
But Rowe came charging back yet again in its final at-bat, bringing three runs to the plate and forcing extra innings.
In the ninth, Villarreal doubled with one out, notching her first hit after going 0 for 4 to start the game. Two batters later and facing an 0-2 count, Reyna blooped a single to shallow center that brought home the winning run.
“It was the perfect pitch for me to drive to left or center field,” Reyna said. “I had to change my bat speed a little bit with the wind blowing. That way, the ball wouldn’t go as far. If I hit the ball up in the air, I’m sure they would have had an easy play on it.”
La Joya pitcher Sabrina Salinas battled through Rowe rallies in the second and seventh innings to go the whole nine for the Coyotes. She allowed seven runs, five of which were earned, on nine hits, one walk and a hit batsman with three strikeouts.
“A game like this can take a lot out of you,” Salinas said. “You want to quit half of the time, but I had to stay strong mentally. I didn’t want them to get ahead, so I gave everything I could.”
McAllen Memorial beat La Joya Juarez-Lincoln on Friday to slide into sole possession of second place in the district standings at 4-1. The loss drops McAllen Rowe (12-9-1) to 3-2 in district play, putting the Warriors in a third-place tie with McAllen High.
Rowe staged another furious comeback against McHi on Tuesday but came out on the short end of another 8-7 result.
“I’m proud of my girls, because we fought until the last out,” McAllen Rowe coach Ozzy Hernandez said. “That’s all I can ask of my team. We’ve been in holes like this before all season long, and they’ve turned it around. They don’t quit.”