S.A. Taft slips by Edinburg High
LAREDO — San Antonio Taft erupted for four runs in the second inning and held off Edinburg High 5-2 to take Game 1 of their best-of-three Class 5A regional semifinal series Friday at the Laredo Student Activities Center.
Despite the loss, the Lady Bobcats (29-5) are confident heading into today’s Game 2 that they can get to hard-throwing Taft starting pitcher Vivian Gutierrez, who picked up the win Friday.
“Their pitcher was wild,” Edinburg High coach Jesse Banda said. “She throws hard. (Today) with the heat and everything, if we work her I think we can beat her.”
After falling behind 4-0 following Taft’s four-run second, the Lady Bobcats cut the lead in half when Myranda Hinojosa was hit by a Gutierrez pitch to score a run. Edinburg High scratched its second run on a fielder’s choice.
But for the Lady Bobcats, missed opportunities that included stranding Claudia Salinas after she hit a one-out triple in the fifth inning and some uncharacteristic baserunning mistakes could not be overcome against a team the caliber of Taft (24-9).
“We made a couple of mental mistakes running and fielding that gave them the upper hand,” Banda said. “We hit the ball sporadically and I think we’ll be OK (today). They only have that one pitcher so hopefully we can get to her.
“We hung with them. We had our chances, we just couldn’t take advantage of our opportunities and they took advantage of their opportunities.”
Game 2 starts at noon today. Game 3, if necessary, will begin 30 minutes after Game 2.
