BY BRYAN RAMOS | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — The heart of the SaberCats lineup is up to bat at Edinburg Vela High School, and the hip-hop song with a southern twang, “I Bet U Won’t” by Mouse and Level, blasts through the speakers.
As senior first baseman Eric Martinez makes his way from the on-deck circle to the batter’s box, the SaberCat dugout is on their feet, hyped and dancing as they recreate the viral video of comedian Famous Amos wildin’ out to the same song.
What follows is usually something positive for Martinez and Edinburg Vela, which is the Rio Grande Valley’s last remaining unbeaten team in district play. The 6-feet-3 Martinez, a third-year letterman, has hit 29 RBIs and five home runs, leading the SaberCats to a 19-4-2 record overall and 9-0 in District 31-6A.
“It’s just fun. It’s a game, but we got to enjoy it. It’s not always serious all the time. You just got to have fun with it sometimes,” Martinez said. “We’re a team on and off the field.”
Martinez is one of six seniors who play key roles for the SaberCats. Pitchers Nico Rodriguez and Marc Esquivel give Vela one of the top duos in the RGV, while fellow seniors Ramsey Amador, Jon Navarro and Frankie Zuniga contribute on the field and at the plate for the SaberCats.
As juniors, that group helped lead the SaberCats to capturing the program’s first district title a season ago. That same core has Edinburg Vela on the verge of going back-to-back and winning its second straight 31-6A championship.
“Those guys do a really good job carrying this ball club leadership-wise. They’re great leaders that just go out and do it. Those guys do a really good job. Even if they’re not in the game, it’s very big for us,” Vela coach Jaime Perez said.
Rodriguez, a Kansas State commit, is the SaberCats ace and has compiled an 8-1 record on the mound, striking out 85 batters while surrendering just four earned runs this season. Perez calls him the team’s donkey who leads by example.
“It’s very important to me,” Rodriguez said about being a leader. “I take the leadership role as a big one and we just try to push the younger guys to keep going and to keep working hard every day.”
And if one scans the field or the SaberCats dugout, senior shortstop Amador can be found with a smile on his face. The UTRGV commit (30 hits, 24 runs, 23 RBIs, two home runs, 14 stolen bases) is constantly giving high-fives to teammates and tipping his hat to opponents who have made good plays. He remembers what it was like as an underclassman, which is why he has a positive demeanor on and off the field.
“There’s a lot of kids, I’ve always been in their positions as freshmen, sophomores and juniors. I was once growing up. I just try to show good character because anyone can go to the next level, play college ball and do better. I want everyone to do better than me and try to be their best,” Amador said.
The SaberCats have built a 2 1/2-game lead on the second-place Weslaco High Panthers in District 31-6A. Edinburg Vela will close district with games against Donna North, Edinburg High and Weslaco East. One more SaberCats win will clinch a second straight district championship.
Esquivel is Vela’s No. 2 pitcher and is 5-1 this year with one save and 49 strikeouts. He also has 14 RBIs at the plate. Even though the district title is within reach, he said the SaberCats are still having fun with it.
“We have a bunch of seniors on the team and everyone just gels together good. We have a lot of different guys who bring a lot of different elements to the team and it all just fits well together,” Esquivel said. “I think that’s what helps us win a lot of games. Every game is just really fun. There’s time we get serious, but at the end, we know it’s about the team and having fun and playing our best out there.”