PSJA North bounces back in district game against Wolverines
ALAMO — The PSJA North Raiders (17-12-1, 9-4) snapped a two-game skid as they defeated one of their district rivals, the PSJA Memorial Wolverines (14-13, 5-7) by the score of 8-1.
The win keeps the Raiders in third place of the District 31-5A standings as the softball season nears its end. The loss drops the Wolverines to fifth place.
Ahead of PSJA North in the standings is Sharyland and trailing behind them is the Robert Vela SaberCats, who is tied with the McHi Bulldogs. The 'Cats earlier in the week got the best of the Raiders in an 11-inning game.
To stay safe in the playoff hunt, PSJA North would have to win the rest of the games and especially beat McHi on April 14.
The Raiders got on the board in the first inning, as for the second, the strategy was to hit short with bunting to get on base.
Averey Luna had two strikeouts to keep the Raiders at bay. As for Raelyn Mancias, she also had a couple of strikeouts in the bottom of the second.
Both Luna and Mancias had a pitching bout as Luna had 9 on the night, while Mancias had herself 8.
It wasn't until the top of the fourth when Emylee Ramirez hit a ground to the right for an RBI single. In the next sequence, after a pitch, she stole second base.
Layla Garza hit a small pop fly to infield by third base, but a missed catch and an error — which involved a ball hit off a helmet of a runner — ended up with two runs for the Raiders. Another error for the Wolverines ended up with another run.
To make the inning worse, a long throw from first to third resulted in another run for the Raiders. A shortstop catch that went to first base for the Wolvwrines got them out of a tough inning.
Wolverines had four errors on the night and it was 6-0 going into the top of the fifth.
Top of the fifth, Vanessa Palacios cracked it to center field to get to second base and rake up an RBI — 7-0.
Bottom of the fifth, bases had runners on first and second with one out. PSJA Memorial's Valerie Treviño hit it to centerfield for the RBI and situated herself at second base — 7-1.
Another error for the Wolverines allowed another run to make it 8-1 after the sixth. In the last inning, it was a standstill.
The Raiders will play McAllen Memorial next Friday. The Wolverines will take on the Mustangs this upcoming Tuesday and will play McHi on Friday.