Extra innings needed to settle score between PSJA Southwest, Memorial

PHARR — It was a test of endurance here at PSJA Southwest High School as the Javelinas hosted their in-district rival, the PSJA Memorial Wolverines.

No matter the sport, whenever both of these schools face-off, it’s usually a game that goes down to the wire and Friday’s bout was no different. The Wolverines defeated the Javelinas, 5-4 in 10 innings in a game that lasted about 3-and-a-half hours.

So one could imagine the amount of anxiousness the crowd and possibly players felt with each play.

The win earns PSJA Memorial their second win in District 31-5A and although this was a grudge match for Southwest, they drop the season series 0-2 against Memorial.

The Javelinas caught the Wolverines a bit off guard as they were as hot as the Valley sun on the offensive side of things. The majority of the earned runs and hits were in the first inning as Southwest scored 2 runs. They had 10 hits the entire game.

Memorial hit a bit of a snag in the second inning, but Brandon Perez hit a sacrificial pop fly to get Alejandro Miranda in for the score.

An error by the shortstop for Southwest at the top allowed another run as he wasn’t able to make the sliding catch.

Until the top of the seventh, it was knotted up at 2-2.

PSJA Memorial put a little bit of bleeding on the Javelinas as a couple of wild pitches, a bunt and a hit batter loaded up the bases.

After a couple of walks, Memorial led 4-2.

Southwest at the bottom of the seventh tied the game with a successful bunt and an RBI single to left field.

The Javelinas could have won the game as they did have the bases full but a pop fly bailed the Wolverines out.

In the eighth inning, Memorial had multiple chances to score but the Javelinas’ defense held true to leave them scoreless.

Top of the tenth is when the action really picked up as a wild pitch had Memorial’s Sam Chavez steal third. Then, he ultimately was able to steal home for the 5-4 score after a wild throw.

Kyle Salinas, pitcher for Memorial, proved to be clutch in the bottom of the eighth as he had a couple of strikeouts to retire the Javelinas.

Salinas was the relief pitcher for his team, as well as the closer. He faced 17 batters and had five strikeouts.

Asked how he felt after the game, Salinas was proud of the win but felt the team could have capitalized better.

“(I feel) good — could’ve performed better,” he said. “... (We got) to be ready for the next game.”

Head Coach Jimmy Young shared the same sentiment as the senior pitcher.

“It was a good job, man,” Young said. “Shows being able to deal with adversity, things they’re gonna deal with in life. Things go good, things go bad.”

He also said that the win was critical within a tough baseball schedule.

“You know, we’re in a very tough district,” the coach said. “So, just to get a win is always a plus.”

Memorial was scheduled to play Sharyland Pioneer and Robert Vela this week. Southwest was set to play McAllen Memorial.