Port Isabel Tarpons pitcher Jose Garza is seen during Tuesday night’s game against the Bobcats in Rio Hondo. (Photo by Rodrigo Davila)
PRESS Staff Report
Who’s next?
That seems to be the theme surrounding the Port Isabel Lady Tarpon softball squad as it continues to eliminate the competition en route to its first undefeated recorded this late into the season.
Specifically, the Lady Tarps stand at an impressive 7-0 32-3A record and 12-5 overall, not to mention two and a half games ahead of second place Rio Hondo, which is 4-2 in district and 12-12 overall.
The Ladies last dispatched the Hidalgo Lady Pirates (4-15 overall, 0-7 in district) by a score of 9-1 on Tuesday, April 2, at home.
Next, the Port Isabel girls were next scheduled to face the Lionettes (7-12 overall, 2-4 in district) in La Feria Thursday, April 5, at 7 p.m.
Guess who’s also playing well.
The Port Isabel Tarpon baseball team traveled to Rio Hondo Tuesday night for an important game between two teams tied for second in the 32-3A district race.
Looking to bounce back after a tough last inning loss to league leading Hidalgo, which is also ranked fifth in the Rio Grande Valley, Port Isabel came out focused and determined to do what was needed to get the job done.
“The team knew they had to perform against our bitter rival Rio Hondo,” Jose Garza, junior pitcher for the Tarpons, said.
The Tarpons started off the game by quickly getting two on base with only one out, but Rio Hondo pitcher Caleb Ortega struck out the next two Port Isabel batters.
Jose Garza, behind some good defensive plays by third baseman Jesse Delgado, quickly got the first three Bobcat players out. Ortega had no problem getting the first three Tarpon batters to ground out in the top half of the second inning, with the score knotted at zero.
Port Isabel scored three runs in the top of the third inning, with one out, second baseman Johnathan Garza singled to right, this was followed by Kieler Gentry’s single down the first base line, with two people on Kenny Herrera doubled to deep centerfield, scoring both Johnathan Garza and Gentry.
Jose Garza helped his own cause as he doubled to left-center field, driving Herrera making the score 3-0 after three innings of play.
Port Isabel got two more runs in the fifth on Gentry’s base on balls, Kenny Herrera’s second hit of the night, with Tarpons standing on second and first centerfielder Micheal Corry doubling to score Gentry. One batter later, first basemen Jacques Guillot got an RBI scoring Herrera on a fielder’s choice.
Rio Hondo responded in the bottom of the fifth on four hits and two walks, bringing the score to 5-4 after five innings. The Tarpons responded to the Bobcat run by manufacturing their sixth run of the game.
Freshman leftfielder Javier Hernandez got on base with a walk, he was moved over to second on Jonathan Garza’s sacrifice bunt. Gentry followed that up with an infield single. Herrera got his third RBI on a fielder’s choice scoring Hernandez.
With the Bobcats down to their last three outs, they battled their final out leaving people on third and second. Jose Garza, facing Rio Hondo pinch-hitter Matthew Zuniga and a possible game tying hit, struck out Zuniga to seal the victory and collect the 6-4 win.
With the win, Port Isabel is in solo possession of second place and finished the first round of district play at 3-1. The Tarpons open the second round next Tuesday when they travel to Progreso.
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