Twenty-seven Rio Grande Valley high school baseball teams qualified for the UIL state playoffs but only 14 are moving on to the area round after securing first-round postseason victories over the weekend.
Two of the biggest Round 1 performances came from McAllen Memorial and Rio Grande City.
McAllen Memorial was making its first playoff appearance since 2012 and proceeded to win its first bi-district playoff series since 1997 with a two-game sweep of Brownsville Porter in Round 1.Â
McAllen Memorial (20-12) is now set for a three-game area round playoff series against Coastal Bend power Corpus Christi Veterans (23-9). Game 1 is scheduled for Thursday in Corpus with Games 2 and 3, if necessary, shifting to McAllen Memorial High School on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Rio Grande City (18-13-1) upset Corpus Christi Ray in two games to sweep the Texans with wins of 3-2 and 8-2.
The Rattlers are moving on to the area round for the first time in five years and now get a Valley vs. Valley matchup against Brownsville Veterans in Round 2. Game details between Rio Grande City and Brownsville Veterans are to be announced.
CLASS 6A
All four bi-district playoff winners at the Class 6A level made quick work with sweeps of their first-round opponents.
La Joya High (19-12-1) won a pair of close ones against San Benito as the Coyotes only allowed one run across two games against the Greyhounds with victories of 3-1 and 3-0. La Joya will meet San Antonio Brennan (18-14) in a three-game area round series Thursday through Saturday.
District 32-6A champion Los Fresnos (27-6-1) demolished Edinburg Economedes by outscoring the Jaguars 30-1 in Round 1. The Falcons will look to stay hot as they prepare for a three-game series against San Antonio O’Connor (18-11-2) in Round 2.
PSJA High (29-5) used some late-inning magic to get past Harlingen High in Game 2 of their bi-district series to secure the 2-0 sweep. Next for PSJA High is Laredo Alexander (23-8-1) with Game 1 Friday in San Juan and Games 2 and 3, if necessary, Saturday in Laredo.
Weslaco High (23-8-1) is back in the area round after winning an extra-inning thriller 3-2 in Game 1 against Mission followed by a 12-0 blowout in Game 2. The Panthers are headed into a three-game area playoff series against Eagle Pass
CLASS 5A
District 31-5A and 32-5A’s top seeds Sharyland Pioneer and Brownsville Veterans both swept their opening round matchups to start the postseason.
Sharyland Pioneer (26-4) took care of business against Brownsville Lopez with wins of 5-2 in Game 1 and 10-0 in Game 2. The Diamondbacks are set to face a tough Victoria East team in Round 2 with a three-game series beginning Friday in Robstown before moving to Alice for Games 2 and 3 on Saturday, if necessary.
Brownsville Veterans (23-4-2) battled in its two games against Sharyland High but found ways to deliver late in both games to earn the bi-district sweep. It took extra innings in Game 1 for the Chargers to escape with a 4-3 walk-off victory and a two-run seventh inning in Game 2 to pull off a 4-2 win to clinch the series.
The Chargers are slated to face Rio Grande City in the area round. Game details are to be announced.
La Joya Palmview and McAllen High square off in Round 2 in another Valley vs. Valley playoff matchup after the Lobos and Bulldogs grinded out bi-district series wins.
Palmview (28-3-1) squeezed out a pair of one-run wins in its first round playoff series against Victoria West to punch its ticket to the area round. In Game 1, one run in the top of the ninth was enough for a 1-0 win in extras. In Game 2, Palmview trailed 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh before plating two runs for a 3-2 walk-off victory to advance.
McAllen High (21-12) needed three games to get past Harlingen South in Round 1 but was thoroughly in control in the deciding Game 3 with a 7-2 win. The Bulldogs proved they have three solid arms to trot out in a best-of-three matchup, which will be key in Round 2 against Palmview.
Game 1 between the Bulldogs and Lobos is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at McHi. Game 2 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Palmview. Game 3, if necessary, will be played at 1 p.m. Saturday at McHi.
CLASS 3A
The four playoff winners from Class 3A are the RGV’s last sub-5A teams standing in the playoffs after District 32-4A got swept in the first round.
The District 32-3A champion Rio Hondo Bobcats (24-4) meet Santa Gertrudis Academy (14-16-1) in a three-game series Thursday and Friday with all three games at San Diego High School.
Lyford (19-8) will play its area round series against Goliad with all three games at Hebbronville High School.
District 31-3A champ Edinburg IDEA College Prep (13-9) takes on Falfurrias (21-8-1) in a best-of-three series Friday and Saturday with all games at Falfurrias High School.
Santa Rosa (12-12) draws state-ranked Corpus Christi London (31-2) in Round 2. Action starts with Games 1 and 2 on Wednesday in Corpus Christi.