By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — Karolina Rodriguez was 0-for-2 at the plate as she prepared for her final at-bat, with two outs and two players on.
The senior third baseman squared up and smacked a shot to left field, driving in the go-ahead runs to secure McAllen Rowe’s 3-2 victory over Edinburg North in Game 1 of their Class 6A area playoff series.
Rodriguez’s lone hit scored Viktoria Polanco and Madelyn Prukop, respectively, rallying the Lady Warriors from a 2-0 first-inning deficit and snapping the Lady Cougars’ 11-game winning streak.
“We just turned it on when we needed to,” Rodriguez said. “Edinburg North is a really good team offensively and defensively. But this game, I guess our bats were just more on than theirs were.”
Rowe (17-9) totaled seven hits against Edinburg North ace Jackie Longoria, who fell to 22-6 in the circle. The reigning District 31-6A MVP finished with two strikeouts and one walk, as the team dropped to 27-7 on the season.
The Lady Warriors have an opportunity now to make their first trip to the regional quarterfinals, when they resume the best-of-three series at 1:30 p.m. today at Edinburg North.
“That’d be history for this team,” Rodriguez said, “and we want nothing less than that.”
Edinburg North scored two runs on three hits in the opening inning, but went scoreless the rest of the way after producing four hits. The Lady Cougars left six players on base, including three in scoring position.
Hope Rodriguez and Carolina Garcia were on base in the sixth inning with two outs, before stealing second and third. But Joscelyn Moncayo retired the next four batters to close out the inning and seal the victory.
“I was just hitting my spots,” said Moncayo, who improved to 6-2. “I was just watching my catcher, doing what she wanted me to do because she knows me the best.
“We have that trust.”
With an opportunity to close out the series today, Rowe coach Ozzy Hernandez said he was uncertain whether he would go with Moncayo or Krystal Ramos in the circle for Game 2.
Ramos, who is 9-8 on the year with a 2.10 ERA, will have the benefit of rest heading into today, while Moncayo (1.70 ERA) faces the possibility of pitching for the second time in less than 24 hours.
Edinburg North, meanwhile, is hoping for a repeat trip to the third round, after winning another district title this year.
The Lady Cougars, ranked No. 3 by RGVSports.com at the end of the regular season, appeared ready to take control of the series after opening the game with a 2-0 lead. Longoria got on with a single, and eventually scored on an error. And Ayissa Maldonado, the No. 2 hitter, singled to left before scoring on a groundout.
North will turn to its most reliable hitters once again as it looks to avoid elimination at home today.
“We just have to stay humble,” said Moncayo, whose team is ranked No. 7. “We don’t want to get too excited for the game because it could all go away, and we could lose it all.”