(McAllen, Texas)-McAllen Memorial head coach Roque Cortinas watched his Stangs win Game Three on Saturday afternoon in the hot-blistering sun, defeating cross-town rivals McAllen (24-13) 12-2 in six innings in the Class 5A Region IV Quarterfinals Baseball playoffs. Cortinas celebrated with his coaches, embracing each other. “I have lost three times in the third round and now, we are going to the fourth round for the first in my coaching career,” said Cortinas.
The McAllen Memorial Mustangs came out hard, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 8-0 lead with five hits. In the sixth inning, the Mustangs wrapped up its series with McAllen by winning 12-2 to end Bulldog head coach Eliseo Pompa’s first trip to the fourth round as a McAllen HS coach. Memorial shortstop Jose Rivera had the walk-off hit to 10-run rule the Bulldogs. McAllen Memorial left-handed sophomore pitcher, Hugo Rodriguez picked up the win as he struck out nine batters and allowed just three hits.
District 26-5A Kerrville Tivy and 31-5A McAllen Memorial will meet in a Best-of-Three Regional Semifinal Series this week at Corpus Christi’s Cabaniss Field. Game 1 is Thurday at 7 p.m., with Game 2 (and 3, if necessary) beginning Saturday at 5 p.m.
Time to Celebrate! The McAllen Memorial Mustangs defeated McAllen 12-2 on Saturday in Game Three to advance to the UIL State 5A Region Semifinals this weekend at Cabaniss Field in Corpus Christi. (HSSMImages)