History Made: PSJA Bears advance to Elite 8

As every PSJA Bears fan already knows, but bears repeating, no pun intended, for the first time in the school’s long history, the varsity baseball team is heading to the 6A Division II regional finals, which kick off this week, Thursday, at Calallen (Corpus) against the Dripping Springs Tigers.

Across the entire state in 6A DII high school baseball, only eight teams remain standing, and the RGV has one of them.

Okay, there are two divisions in 6A, based on attendance, so these days, there are actually two state champions named every year among the largest school districts.

Confusing, sure, for those old enough to remember when almost every Valley school district had only one high school, but the times they have a-changed.

The Bears made the Sweet 16 in 2023 and 2004, but this year is just different, said Marco Guajardo, now in his 15th season as head coach.

Sure, but does he consider this to be the best team he’s ever coached?

“A lot of people have asked me that question, like, is this your best team ever, and I know that when our guys get on base, the other hitters are coming through. The bottom of our order has been especially good, and that helps out a lot because when you get to the bottom of the order, there’s usually a drop off, but our guys have actually been hitting the ball well.”

Plus, Guajardo is keen on his pitching rotation.

“I think what’s been standing out this year is our pitching," he said. "We really don’t have homerun hitters and stuff like that. Our pitching has really done tremendous.”

Guajardo mentions a sophomore, Jesse Garza, who has been “a phenom” all year long on the pitching mound.

“And a couple of seniors. Jesse Delgadillo and Nyles Alvarez. Those guys have been playing together since they were, gosh, 5 years old," the coach said. "Those two seniors have kind of been the leaders. That’s helped a lot, to keep the team together. We don’t really have power hitters, but the team is getting it done.”

The only thing standing in the Bears’ way from advancing to the state’s quarterfinals (6A DII) are a couple of pitchers at Dripping Springs, both already college bound, both throwing at speeds in excess of 90 mph. One of the pitchers, Cooper Rummel, finished last season 9-1 with a very low ERA– 0.87.

The playoff series (regional finals) will be held at Steve Chapman Field at Calallen High School, starting this Thursday at 7; then Game 2, Friday, at 7:30; and if necessary, a Game 3 on Saturday at 1.

He Hit .597?

Now in his 26th year as a high school baseball coach, 11 as an assistant and 15 as head coach, self-effacing to some degree, Marco Guajardo was a baseball stud in his own right as a high school baseball player at PSJA before he went off to play college ball.

He graduated from PSJA High in 1990 where he played center fielder and hit, wait for it, .597 his senior year.

Five-ninety-seven?

“Yep,” he says, and laughs just a little. Happy memories.

“That’s what got me to play on the (state’s) North-South All-Star Game, where I got to play at the Astrodome.”

The Big Show.

He came back from college and coached JV ball when Tom Ogilvee was head coach at PSJA, and then when Steve Flores became head coach, Guajardo was promoted to assistant.

Comparing the game being played today vs. 2004, for example, when the Bears went to the Sweet 16 and he was still an assistant coach, Guajardo says the game has changed “a lot” over the years.

“It’s very different today, and I think it’s due to the resources," he said. "There is a lot more individual training out there available these days, a lot of individual trainers working with kids, pitching, hitting. There are a lot more kids playing year-round, too,”

Plus, the players’ training regimen is different today, which is apparently paying dividends, said Guajardo.

“Kids today are throwing a lot harder. At a younger age. Back in the day (circa 2004), if you saw a kid throwing in the high 80s, low 90s, that was rare," the coach said. "Now we’re seeing a lot more pitchers throwing at that speed. Plus, today’s sliders and curve balls are better.”

Guajardo said that if PSJA can get some hits off the Dripping Spring’s ace pitchers, he thinks the Bears have a good shot at winning.

Even before the Dripping Springs series, though, Guajardo and his staff, the team, are taking some time just enjoying making it to the Elite 8. A first in the school’s history. Can’t beat that.

“It’s just great for the community, the school, and the team,” said Guajardo.

Now, on to the next playoff series.