Who’s in? Who’s out?: What’s it looking like for baseball playoffs
There were 12 teams in the area round and now, only five teams from the RGV are still standing as the regional semifinals (third round) are set to take place this week.
For starters, the Valley’s No. 1 team — the PSJA Bears — won their series against Schertz Clemens in three games. The third game was played this past Friday in Calallen in which the local squad took a decisive 7-1 dub by keeping the Buffaloes to only three hits on the night.
The Bears, despite the success, still have some expectations to overcome as last year they made the regional finals — also known as the Elite Eight.
They will have a series rematch from last year’s playoffs against Austin Westlake — which is a school that’s usually pretty good in every sport they compete in.
So, last year, the Bears swept Westlake 2-0. However, this year, the Chaparrals defeated a decent Austin Vandegrift team in three games and swept O’Connor — which is a school out of Helotes in Bexar County.
Game 1 will be in Corpus on Thursday. Games 2 and 3 will be in San Antonio on Friday and Saturday
Well, who else is in?
Right, the other four teams.
La Joya, who was the only team to beat PSJA in district, swept Medina Valley, 2-0.
They are set to play Dripping Springs in the Sweet 16.
If that name sounds familiar, that’s because that’s the team that knocked off the PSJA Bears last year. So, if Dripping Springs wins and PSJA advances, that could be a rematch of last season.
Palmview, who is also in La Joya, swept Nikki Rowe to advance and will now face Boerne-Champion. If “that name” sounds familiar, they were the school who beat PSJA North in the playoffs during the football season.
Sharyland is still a perfect 4-0 in the playoffs. The 31-5A district champion has swept Donna and Corpus Christi Ray.
They will face the Liberty Hill Panthers in the third round. The Panthers have some offensive firepower as they’ve not only blanked MacArthur in the area round, but they put up 15 runs in two games in the sweep.
Harlingen South swept Rio Grande City to advance. They will play Cedar Park.