San Benito Lady Greyhound Head Coach Elias Martinez is shown embracing members of his team Saturday after defeating San Antonio Southwest in a two-game sweep to secure a trip to the Elite 8, this for the first time in not just team history but for any Valley ball club as well. (Photos by Sonia De La Cruz)
By CHRISTY CORTEZ
Special to the NEWS
Success has never been anything out of the ordinary for the San Benito Lady ’Hounds, but their recent level of success has made history.
Not only did they make history within their stellar program but they’ve made Valley history by being the only softball team to ever make it past the Sweet 16 round of the playoffs, a feat accomplished when the Lady ’Hounds defeated San Antonio Southwest in a two-game sweep this weekend. Still, what sets apart this team from all the others is its size – the size of the team members’ hard work, the size of their heart, and the size of the support they have amongst each other.
One won’t find in the Lady ’Hounds lineup any big names that have already committed to Division I colleges, but one will find Amanda Garza, Dorothy Milan, Adriana “Squirt” Flores, Giselle Tamayo, Amber Jasso, KC Sanchez, Kassandra Contreras, Yesenia Penablanca, Mel Ramirez, Dulce Martinez, Roxy Rivas, Mary Rivas, and Kourtney Vasquez.
The Lady ’Hounds aren’t led by an All-American college superstar who started coaching once his career ended. They’re coached by a family man and who was born and raised and has raised his family in San Benito. At the end of every game you’ll see Head Coach Elias Martinez’s grandkids run to him and congratulate him even though they might not know just how big of a game the team just won.
The Lady ’Hounds don’t come from a huge city. They come from a small city. A small city which, like the Lady ’Hounds, has a big heart. The community has supported the Lady ’Hounds since the beginning; and not just the beginning of this season. Whether they play in San Antonio, Alice, Corpus Christi, Edinburg, Mission, or McAllen …one will find a sea of purple and gold. Individuals won’t just be able to notice them, but the fans will make themselves heard as well, especially when Amanda Garza makes a big catch or if Amber Jasso strikes out her 10th batter. But the fans will also be heard if the umpire makes a bad call or if the Lady ’Hounds get behind in runs; that’s when “Let’s Go Lady ‘Hounds!” is yelled. And bet on the fact that the fans will most definitely be heard if the opposing pitcher gets a little wild and hits a Lady ’Hound.
These small albeit significant factors come together to create a team arguably bigger than last year’s state champion The Woodlands, or the Edinburg Lady Bobcats who were favored over the Lady ’Hounds to get past the Sweet 16. These factors create the San Benito Lady ’Hounds.
Should San Benito continue to succeed or return home before a state champ is crowned, the one constant is that the citizens of the Resaca City, and perhaps the Valley, will remain proud of this squad’s effort.
“It comes down to getting the routine plays and fight and heart. That’s why we’re one of eight teams left in the state,” said Martinez, who stressed that as a team, “Together Everyone Achieves More”.
“We depend on each other, and if one of us is down, someone is going be there to pick us up. We know we have the heart and the talent,” said Adriana “Squirt” Flores, who helped bring Jasso in Saturday which clinched Valley history in the name of the Lady ’Hounds.
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the May 25 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
1 comment
Great article. Any details on the next game? Location? Date?