05/02/2026
Coyotes Rally Past Brownsville Veterans to Claim Bi-District Title
The La Joya Coyotes defeated Brownsville Veterans Memorial 7–6 on Friday night at the Leo Garza Jr. Baseball/Softball Complex, completing a 2–0 Bi-District Playoff series sweep in front of the Coyote Faithful and advancing to the Area Round of the playoffs.
The deciding moment came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Roel Martinez delivered a clutch two-out single up the middle, scoring Rolando Solis from third and giving the Coyotes the lead for good. Pitcher Alex Bocanegra closed the game in order in the seventh inning to secure the Bi-District championship.
Earlier in the series, La Joya’s offense had produced 10 runs in Thursday’s opener, and head coach Guadalupe Barrera emphasized the importance of continuing that momentum heading into Game 2.
“The boys need to keep the bats rolling,” Barrera said before Friday’s matchup. “Pitching wise, we need to limit free bases, and we need to play good defense.”
Brownsville Veterans struck first in the top of the opening inning with three consecutive singles from Alfonso Bueno, Lalo Alcantar, and Diego Martinez, scoring two runs and applying early pressure. La Joya responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning when Samuel De Leon drove in a run with a double to cut the deficit to 2–1.
The Coyotes took control in the second inning with a five-run rally. An RBI single by Rolando Solis started the surge before Gael Zambrano reached base to load the bases. De Leon followed with a bases-clearing single that extended La Joya’s lead to 6–2, though he later exited the game with a lower back injury.
Brownsville Veterans answered quickly. After a walk, a fielding error, a throwing error, two singles, and a double, the Chargers tied the game at 6–6 and shifted the momentum back in their favor.
Both teams settled into a defensive battle over the next several innings. Chargers pitcher Betto Palacios and Bocanegra kept offenses quiet until the sixth.
“Boca settled in,” Barrera said. “He knew he didn’t have his best today, but his resilience kept him in there and he kept fighting.”
The Coyotes threatened earlier in the fourth inning with runners on the corners, but Palacios escaped the jam with a strikeout. The same situation resurfaced in the sixth inning when Solis reached base and advanced to third. After Matthew Ortiz was intentionally walked with two outs, Martinez stepped to the plate in just his second live at-bat in nearly a month.
“When Sammy had to leave the game, I had no doubt the next man up was going to be Roel,” Barrera said. “I told him, ‘I know you can—show us you can.’”
Martinez delivered, sending a single up the middle to score Solis and give La Joya the decisive 7–6 advantage.
Bocanegra then retired the Chargers in order in the seventh inning to secure the win and complete the series sweep.
With the Bi-District championship secured, La Joya now advances to face the winner of Medina Valley vs. San Marcos in the Area Round of the playoffs.
La Joya ISD Progress Times RGVSports.com
