Brownsville Lopez blanks Sharyland High to start series

Edward Severn

BROWNSVILLE — One swing of the bat, stellar defense and strong pitching was all the Brownsville Lopez Lobos needed Thursday night to pick up a 1-0 Game 1 win over Sharyland High in the opening round of the Class 5A DII playoffs.

Lopez ace Hector Arellano drove in the only run in the first inning. He brought in Nehemiah Garcia after he led things off with a double.

Arellano took the first pitch he saw with two outs and Garcia on third. He placed it smoothly in between first and second.

Arellano said that the Sharyland High pitcher threw a lot of curve balls to the previous batter, so he was eager to jump on a pitch early in the count, expecting that curve.

“I study players all the time,” he said. “I knew the first pitch. I got a hit and we scored.”

Sharyland Rattler pitcher pitches the ball Thursday evening against Lopez Lobos in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)

Arellano and Sharyland High’s Fabrizio Salinas then had a battle at the mound for the next six innings with the Lobos coming out on top. Salinas was great with 9 strikeouts on only 83 pitches. Arellano only had 3 strikeouts on 78 pitches, but only gave up three hits and most importantly — the complete game shutout.

The Lobos ace was proud of his first playoff win, but he said he couldn’t have done it without the defense behind him.

Lobos third baseman Steve Moyar started off early with great throws from the corner. Lupe Ramirez was a magnet at shortstop and so was second baseman Alan Arizpe.

“They came out ready to play,” Lopez head coach Victor Martinez said. “We emphasized all week long that we needed to show that we are a district championship type of team.”

Lopez Lobo pitcher Hector Arellano pitches the ball Thursday evening against Sharyland Rattlers in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)

Martinez said the moto lately in the Lobos’ dugout is defense wins championships.

“These guys have been buying in and we have tried to be as clean as possible when it comes to defense at practice, and it showed tonight,” he said.

Martinez thanked for the support the team has received this year. This is Lopez’s first district title winning season in 15 years. They shared it with Weslaco East.

Sharyland High finished second behind PSJA North in the always competitive 31-5A. They won’t go quietly tomorrow night.

The Lobos and Rattlers collide again at 7 p.m. Friday at Sharyland High.

The post Brownsville Lopez blanks Sharyland High to start series appeared first on MyRGV.com.