piratebg
05-30-2007, 08:59 AM
History repeats itself again
Fal, Sinton to face off for 9th time in playoffs since '91
Considering how many times Falfurrias and Sinton have crossed paths in the playoffs, it's no surprise the local powerhouses and longtime rivals are matched up this postseason.
The No. 3 Jerseys (29-6 overall) and No. 6 Pirates (27-5-1) begin a rematch of last year's Region IV-3A final tonight at Fairgrounds Field. The best-of-three showdown picks up there Thursday night and Saturday afternoon, if necessary.
At stake is a berth in next week's state tournament at The Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Falfurrias coach David Salinas had a feeling it might come down to the Jerseys and Pirates.
Again.
"We knew they were young, but that they would mature and get better," said Salinas, in his 18th year with the Jerseys. "We knew what we had coming back. If we stayed healthy and took care of things, we knew there was a good chance of playing each other."
Sinton coach Gene Kasprzyk said the Pirates put all their focus on making it to the final four.
"You can't ever project those kinds of things, you just play your best baseball and hope to get to this point," he said. "We were only concerned with our performance. Now that it's Falfurrias, we have to get ready to play some baseball."
The teams have met in the playoffs eight times since 1991 and four times in the past seven years, most recently last season.
Falfurrias prevailed, winning the opener 3-2 in eight innings and the second game 8-6, which took three days to play because of rain delays. The Jerseys don't plan on the task being any easier a year later.
"It should be a very competitive series," said Salinas, whose team is in the regional final for the third straight season. "Sinton is fundamentally sound and they have tradition. It's like looking into a mirror in so many ways. We have a few more seniors than (Sinton) that are main contributors. Hopefully we'll come through there.
"That's going to be big for us."
Those seniors return with the experience of last year's appearance at the state tournament, despite the way it turned out.
Falfurrias defeated Abilene Wylie 5-2 in the state semifinals before losing to Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 2-1 in the championship game. Salinas said the team learned plenty during its time in Round Rock, as well as against Sinton the week before.
"The key for us is the same as always -- we have to pitch well and get the clutch hits," Salinas said. "I've always said that defense wins championships, so we're going to have to make the big plays. These guys know the playoffs are like a rollercoaster and that anything can happen. We're counting on the seniors stepping it up."
Sinton, meanwhile, is playing for the regional title for the fifth time in six seasons.
The Pirates advanced to the state tournament in 2002, defeating Abilene Wylie 4-1 in the semifinals and then Forney 5-0 to win the championship. The team returned to defend its title the following year, but lost to Lorena 3-2 in the title game after taking out Canyon 4-3 in the semifinals.
Kasprzyk said the Pirates know exactly what it takes to make it back.
"You just have to play the game and minimize the errors," he said. "At this level it comes down to who makes the fewest mistakes. When two good teams are going at it, you have to play to the best of your ability."
Falfurrias and Sinton have combined to win three regional championships since 2002, with the other two going to Llano (2004) and Yoakum (2005). First, the Yellow Jackets had to get by the Pirates and the Bulldogs by the Jerseys.
In South Texas, Falfurrias and Sinton have become familiar destinations for other teams seeking a spot in the state tournament.
"We have a long history, are very proud of our programs and play quality baseball," Salinas said. "To get there you have to go through one of us"
Contact Javier Becerra at 886-3734 or becerrajcaller.com
Fal, Sinton to face off for 9th time in playoffs since '91
Considering how many times Falfurrias and Sinton have crossed paths in the playoffs, it's no surprise the local powerhouses and longtime rivals are matched up this postseason.
The No. 3 Jerseys (29-6 overall) and No. 6 Pirates (27-5-1) begin a rematch of last year's Region IV-3A final tonight at Fairgrounds Field. The best-of-three showdown picks up there Thursday night and Saturday afternoon, if necessary.
At stake is a berth in next week's state tournament at The Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Falfurrias coach David Salinas had a feeling it might come down to the Jerseys and Pirates.
Again.
"We knew they were young, but that they would mature and get better," said Salinas, in his 18th year with the Jerseys. "We knew what we had coming back. If we stayed healthy and took care of things, we knew there was a good chance of playing each other."
Sinton coach Gene Kasprzyk said the Pirates put all their focus on making it to the final four.
"You can't ever project those kinds of things, you just play your best baseball and hope to get to this point," he said. "We were only concerned with our performance. Now that it's Falfurrias, we have to get ready to play some baseball."
The teams have met in the playoffs eight times since 1991 and four times in the past seven years, most recently last season.
Falfurrias prevailed, winning the opener 3-2 in eight innings and the second game 8-6, which took three days to play because of rain delays. The Jerseys don't plan on the task being any easier a year later.
"It should be a very competitive series," said Salinas, whose team is in the regional final for the third straight season. "Sinton is fundamentally sound and they have tradition. It's like looking into a mirror in so many ways. We have a few more seniors than (Sinton) that are main contributors. Hopefully we'll come through there.
"That's going to be big for us."
Those seniors return with the experience of last year's appearance at the state tournament, despite the way it turned out.
Falfurrias defeated Abilene Wylie 5-2 in the state semifinals before losing to Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 2-1 in the championship game. Salinas said the team learned plenty during its time in Round Rock, as well as against Sinton the week before.
"The key for us is the same as always -- we have to pitch well and get the clutch hits," Salinas said. "I've always said that defense wins championships, so we're going to have to make the big plays. These guys know the playoffs are like a rollercoaster and that anything can happen. We're counting on the seniors stepping it up."
Sinton, meanwhile, is playing for the regional title for the fifth time in six seasons.
The Pirates advanced to the state tournament in 2002, defeating Abilene Wylie 4-1 in the semifinals and then Forney 5-0 to win the championship. The team returned to defend its title the following year, but lost to Lorena 3-2 in the title game after taking out Canyon 4-3 in the semifinals.
Kasprzyk said the Pirates know exactly what it takes to make it back.
"You just have to play the game and minimize the errors," he said. "At this level it comes down to who makes the fewest mistakes. When two good teams are going at it, you have to play to the best of your ability."
Falfurrias and Sinton have combined to win three regional championships since 2002, with the other two going to Llano (2004) and Yoakum (2005). First, the Yellow Jackets had to get by the Pirates and the Bulldogs by the Jerseys.
In South Texas, Falfurrias and Sinton have become familiar destinations for other teams seeking a spot in the state tournament.
"We have a long history, are very proud of our programs and play quality baseball," Salinas said. "To get there you have to go through one of us"
Contact Javier Becerra at 886-3734 or becerrajcaller.com