Hearing set for Friday in Eagle Pass injunction seeking reversal of San Benito’s advancement

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

The San Benito Lady Greyhounds are seen in Laredo on Friday, May 10, before taking on the Eagle Pass Lady Eagles. (KSBG TV photo by Isabel Alicia Gomez)

The San Benito Lady Greyhounds are seen in Laredo on Friday, May 10, before taking on the Eagle Pass Lady Eagles. (KSBG TV photo by Isabel Alicia Gomez)

It’s apparently not over just yet.

On Thursday, San Benito CISD Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón confirmed that the Eagle Pass Independent School District filed an application for injunction against the University Interscholastic League on Wednesday, May 15, in state district court in Travis County seeking the reversal of a decision on Saturday to change a best-of-three softball playoff series between the San Benito Lady Greyhounds and Eagle Pass Lady Eagles in Laredo into a one-game playoff.

The Lady ’Hounds lead the Lady Eagles 2-0 during the sixth inning of Game 1 on Friday, May 10, before the contest was postponed for the following day due to lightning.

On Saturday, May 11, both teams were informed that as a result of UIL rules indicating that three games cannot be played in one day, the series would revert back to a one-game playoff with the winner of the suspended Game 1 advancing to the regional semi-final round of the playoffs, otherwise known as the Sweet 16. It has been further explained that (again citing UIL rules) a suspended playoff game must be completed the following day with the winner advancing to the next round.

Six outs later, the Lady ’Hounds held on to its 2-0 lead from the previous evening to secure the victory over Eagle Pass. Following the game, it was reported that the Eagle Pass contingent expressed disapproval of the matter to the umpires.

Still, the Lady ’Hounds moved on to the Sweet 16 and have since been preparing for a one-game playoff against San Antonio O’Connor, scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Cabaniss Softball Field in Corpus Christi.

Meanwhile, the Eagle Pass ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved on Tuesday the authorization of its legal counsel to file the application for injunction against the UIL. It was action that garnered applause from those in attendance, including Eagle Pass Head Softball Coach Oscar Ruiz.

In an interview with the Eagle Pass Business Journal, Ruiz said of the board’s decision, “They believe the Lady Eagles have a fair chance of winning this game, and that’s all we ask for.”

Limón said a hearing will be held Friday at 2 p.m. when a judge is expected to make a decision on the matter. However, the superintendent further noted that the Lady ’Hounds will continue with plans to compete in the regional semi-final game on Friday unless instructed otherwise.

“We’re sending the girls anyway,” Limón said on Thursday. “If it’s decided they can play O’Connor, they’ll play. If it’s decided they won’t, we’ll just bring the bus back. So as far as we’re concerned, the charter bus carrying the girls will hit the road tomorrow.”

In the meantime, San Benito Head Softball Coach Elias Martinez said these recent developments may serve to be a distraction.

“I want them focused on O’Connor, but we’ll just have to adjust to whatever happens,” Martinez said. “This does take a toll, because you’ve got two different styles of teams and we don’t know who we’re going to play. From a coaching standpoint, the indecisions of going back to Laredo or going to Corpus you try not to let affect you, but it does. It has to somehow.”

“It affects us but it also affects the fans, because which way are they going?” Martinez further questioned. “This thing is affecting a lot of people. UIL is our governing body, and UIL made a decision. It’s black and white.”

Check back at sbnewspaper.com for more information as it becomes available.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/05/16/hearing-set-for-friday-in-eagle-pass-injunction-seeking-reversal-of-san-benitos-advancement/

36 comments

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    • TwoCentsWorth on May 20, 2013 at 8:01 am
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    My dear friend JUAN: I’m afraid life is much more than a formal education. Individuals will encounter difficult situations for which formal education will not prepare you. Being on a softball team, a high school band, a debate team . . . all of these interactions and difficulties faced by students are the “building blocks” of an informal education. I assure you every bit of successes and failures during high school will make for better citizens.

    • SB Fan on May 19, 2013 at 10:36 am
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    Enough! Everyone is beating a “dead-issue”. Bottom line….Coaches are responsible for knowing the UIL rules for playoffs (including AD). They are required (I would hope by UIL & school district) to “study” the UIL Manual and should carry it with them to all games especially playoffs. Both coaches didn’t know the rules and now the blame is on the umpires? It is not the job of the umpires to know the UIL softball manual….It’s there job to know the NFHS Softball Rulebook! The sad news is everyone is insulting each other….Isn’t there more important things to worry about in life than talking trash/whining? Set an example for your kids…..if you know how!?

    • Thor on May 18, 2013 at 10:23 am
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    How far did making excuses, trashtalk and whining get you Eagle Pass?? How many runs did it get you?? NONE! Learn from this, you got your butts handed to you in the end.. SB has since beat Oconner and proven their worth. You, on the other hand, are home watching Doodlebops…. get over it.

    • rude rudy on May 17, 2013 at 12:29 pm
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    that was freaking hilarious…what do you expect from a fan from eagle pass…losers everyone of them

    • DelaSera on May 17, 2013 at 11:50 am
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    Coca Ruiz isn’t exactly the brightest bulb in the box. Remember his brother is Johnnny “Sticky Fingers” Ruiz. Are the Ruizes still getting free gas from the city by the way?

    The above is a quote from the EP forum. THis is a very young EP team, their pitcher is a soph and best hitter is a junior. It would be to the Lady Eagles benefit it they were to get a better influence of a coach next season.

    • Jesi on May 17, 2013 at 9:13 am
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    VIVA SAN BENITO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Luis D Gonzales, Jr. on May 16, 2013 at 7:36 pm
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    Go Lady Hounds! I was there to cheer you on last week both Friday and Saturday. San Benito’s team, coaches, and fans showed true patience, loyalty and class throughout the whole situation.
    Proud of our students!

    • Juan on May 16, 2013 at 7:12 pm
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    Both of these schools,should be boning-up on academics,not sports.I’m sure the kids at Eagle Pass can’t write or read,just like the hounds.And whats sad is the administrations,and educators seem to be encouraging it.You see,as I’ve said earlier,it’s not a new trouble,it’s been here,and in Eagle Pass,festering,for a long while.Can’t count the number of friends I’ve had in sports,good player’s,the best,that have been injured in the first year or so of college,and had to drop their sports careers,oh wow,no grant,no aid,and having to rely on their academic background,most flunked out within a semester,even those studying elementary education.More to life than throwing a ball.Think about it.

      • Eagle Pass fail on May 17, 2013 at 8:51 am
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      All you do is complain about people not being able to read or write but you don’t even know to space after commas or know when to use apostrophes! Go pester someone else and try to make them feel inferior.

      Oh and Eagle Pass still sucks. 2-0!!!!

      • SBHOUND94 on May 17, 2013 at 1:06 pm
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      did this fool really go there! lmao idiotcy at its best

      • Coincidence on May 17, 2013 at 3:31 pm
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      As I’m thinking about it, Juan, you need to go back and proofread your paragraph. You have way too many misused punctuations, run-on and fragmented sentences. Before you go dissing on anything, I suggest you go look in the mirror first. As far as academics go, you get out what you put into it.

    1. JUAN, where did you graduate from???LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • sb fan on May 16, 2013 at 6:13 pm
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    San Benito has always taken the series, what makes you think of a different outcome?

    • Sister on May 16, 2013 at 5:45 pm
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    Section 1280: GIRLS’ SOFTBALL PLAN

    (g) GAME CALLED BEFORE COMPLETION. If a district or no district game is called before completion of the number of innings and conditions as specified in National Federation Softball Rules, the umpire shall declare the contest “no game”. Unless otherwise specified by district minutes prior to the season, the game will be replayed from the start. In games beyond the district level, a game begun, then suspended, shall continue at a later time from the point of suspension.

    Game Regulations ~
    Scheduling on Sunday

    Schools shall not play or practice on Sunday. Do not begin a game that cannot be completed before midnight Saturday.
    Do not start an inning that cannot be finished before midnight Saturday.

    IF THE UIL DID NOT RULE WHAT THEY RULED THE TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. IF BOTH TEAMS WON (A) GAME THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO START A THIRD GAME.

    TO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT THERE YES THERE WAS LIGHTING AND THERE WAS MANY TIME OUTS BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. ON THAT NOTE THERE WAS A MANDATORY EVACUATION OFF THE FIELD AND STADIUM AREA. IT WAS GOING TO BE PROSTPONED FOR 30 MINUTES. AFTER ONLY A FEW MINUTES THE GAME WAS GIVEN TO SAN BENITO AS A WIN BASED ON THE INNINGS THEY HAVE PLAYED. AFTER THAT WAS STATED THE NEXT TWO GAMES WERE GOING TO BE PLAY THE FOLLOWING DAY STARTING AT 2 P.M. THE NEXT DAY MANY OF THE PLAYERS FAMILY ARRIVED AT THE STADIUM STARTED AROUND 12P.M. BUT THE RAIN FACTOR WAS STILL IN SITE. BECAUSE IT RAINED ALL NIGHT LONG TILL THE EARLY MORNING. THE FIELD WAS UNPLAYABLE IT WAS SO WET IT TOOK MORE THAN 3++ HOURS TO DRY AND ABOUT 8-9 FIELD WORKERS TO PREPARE AND TO SEE IF IS AT THE SATISFACTION TO EACH TEAM. FROM THAT HARD WORK THAT THE WORKERS DID TO READY THE FIELD THERE WAS APPLAUSE TO THANK THE WORKERS. IT WAS UNTILL AROUND 3:40 THE GAME WAS ON ITS WAY. THEY ONLY PLAYED 1 1/2 INNING NO RUNS FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE TEAMS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP FROM EITHER SIDE BETWEEN THE GIRLS BUT NOT REALLY FROM EITHER SIDE BETWEEN COACHES. IN ALL IS WAT A VERY INTENSE GAME. GREAT JOB TO BOTH PLAYERS THEY PLAYED WITH THERE HEART ON THERE SLEEVE!! SHARE THE LOVE…

    • Purple and Gold Forever on May 16, 2013 at 4:34 pm
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    Our fans will be there to support our girls at any game, any location, or any court!
    Eagle Pass fans need to back off of our team and fans; we didn’t set rules, we just followed them.
    Go Lady Hounds!

    • RATTLER & HOUND MOM on May 16, 2013 at 4:10 pm
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    Good Luck Lady Hound!!! Sorry Eagle Pass but UIL made the right decision. You had 7 innings to WIN the game. Best of Luck next year.

    • Eagle Pass fail on May 16, 2013 at 4:09 pm
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    Oh, I’m sorry! It was 7 innings instead of 9. You know what numbers I did get right? The score 2-0. Those are the numbers that matter.

    • sanbenitofan44 on May 16, 2013 at 4:05 pm
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    There were games all across Texas reduced to from a three game to a one game series because of the rains… why were injunctions not filed for those games?

    Move on Eagle Pass,,,Get over it! Better Luck next year!

    • Let's be adults on May 16, 2013 at 3:42 pm
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    The three game series being reduced to a one game, winner take all series was neither San Benito’s nor Eagle Pass’, but a UIL decision. Whether both teams played their best or not, what happened, happened and the girls left it all on the field. The game was played fair and that’s all there is to it. Eagle Pass has a good team but there had to be a winning team and a losing one. Good luck to the Lady Eagles in the future.

    As for parents and fans, y’all are calling each other losers and pathetic over a game that you watched, WATCHED. Let’s be adults about this and let the coaches and UIL staff deal with the situation.

    • DelaSera on May 16, 2013 at 3:09 pm
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    Former Eagle Pass Department of Public Works employee sentenced for role in city credit card fraud scheme.

    Above taken from Eagle Pass publication. Crooked folks in EP,

    Too bad because the Lady Eagles are a class group of girls and deserve better than Coach COCO Ruiz.

      • SBHOUND94 on May 17, 2013 at 12:45 pm
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      DAMN dont hold back DelaSera, tell us how you really feel! LMAO

    • DelaSera on May 16, 2013 at 3:03 pm
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    Teach the kids
    San Antonio, TX
    Reply »|Report Abuse|Judge it!|#16Sunday

    Teach the kids that respect and sportsmanship are bigger priorities than winning. If you put your whole heart on the field and play your best the score at the end of the game doesn’t matter. It sucks to lose but hold your head up and try harder next time. Parents complaining that this team got screwed are only teaching the kids to make excuses for failure. Had they won this game, which they had the opportunities you’d be singing a different tune. Watch what you teach your kids.

    The above was written by Eagle Pass fan. Enough said.

    • EaglePassFan on May 16, 2013 at 2:25 pm
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    Correction, it was 7 innings*. All of y’all San Benito fans are just hating. It’s because y’all know if we play another game, we’re gonna come back and kick y’all’s butt.

      • sanbenitofan44 on May 16, 2013 at 4:02 pm
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      LOL….Yes San Benito is hating on a team they beat. Give me a break you and everybody knows this is wrong and just a huge waste of time. Tell you coach and school board to become familar with the rules next time.

      And for the record 7 innings is considered a full game in high school softball.

    1. Attorney trip to Austin for nothing all at the expense of the eagle pass tax payers. i wonder how many school board members tagged along Get it tagged One thing for sure Coach will be the first in line at the Buffet. I hope the school district took the whole team to the hearing. They desire it after all the hard work

    • SB Hounds on May 16, 2013 at 2:17 pm
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    Eagle pass is bunch of losers, they should read uil rules especially their coaches. rules clearly state that all playoff games should be completed regardless, to the entire 7 innings and be completed at when they were suspended. I hope we fight back if necessary too!

    • betterteam on May 16, 2013 at 1:34 pm
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    Correction the umpires did not follow the UIL rules, therefore San Benito didn’t win “fair and square”. Just to make things clear for everyone in San Benito!

      • Eagle Pass fail on May 16, 2013 at 1:45 pm
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      In nine innings played, Eagle Pass scored 0 runs. San Benito scored 2. Fair. Square. Go home. See ya next year, when we’ll have your number yet again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

    • EaglePassFan on May 16, 2013 at 1:20 pm
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    Honestly, if San Benito would’ve lost, they would’ve done the same crap. They would’ve fought just to play another game. So don’t be saying that eagle pass are sore losers because we’re not. We’re just being fair. And we do deserve that game. San Benito is just scared to face us again. We were their toughest opponent.

      • SB FAN on May 16, 2013 at 2:33 pm
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      You are pathetic. Your team had 7 innings just like San Benito did and you couldn’t make it happen so move on. The odds were in your favor. Your coach picked the location and you were the home team. When your coach picked Laredo as the location there was already a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms yet he still decided to play there. You should be blaming him and his low life staff. And don’t even get me started on the coach’s brother who is the biggest baby out of the whole group. Honestly, us San Benito fans couldn’t even tell who the head coach was cause the assistant wouldn’t shut up. And we all saw the way after ever inning that same coach would go up to our coach’s face and taunt him. All of you are pathetic. Face it you lost now move on. In life there is always going to be someone better than the next and in this case our girls are just that much better than yours. Go Lady Hounds!!!! SWEET SIXTEEN HERE WE COME!!!!

      • Truth hurts on May 16, 2013 at 2:36 pm
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      So you agree what Eagle Pass is doing is crap? Im glad you do. No, San Benito wouldn’t of done the same thing. Rules are rules, theyr’e there in black and white. San Benito knows how to take a loss with class and without having to go cry to the UIL directors in Austin. They would not have gone to go and try to have the rules changed for them. Dont get me wrong Eagle Pass has a good team this year, but San Benitos toughest opponent? NO, theyve had tougher opponents this year. Good luck next season.

      • CiaoBellas! on May 16, 2013 at 6:38 pm
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      The Better team won fair and square. We’re sorry for your team, but rules are rules. Hopefully, this merit less injunction request is tossed as the UIL rules were followed. God bless.

      • SBHOUND94 on May 17, 2013 at 12:41 pm
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      It has been further explained that (again citing UIL rules) a suspended playoff game must be completed the following day with the winner advancing to the next round. BURRO!!!!!! Does the UIL need to paint a picture for you fools? What from what is stated above by the UIL rules don’t you understand? Good luck LADY HOUNDS!

      • Thor on May 18, 2013 at 10:09 am
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      How many runs did Eagle Pass score that night?? That’s right, ZERO! Go home, keep quiet and swallow the bitter pill. You lost.

    • Joanna on May 16, 2013 at 1:05 pm
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    The Eagle Pass coach was the one wasting time and they did get the chance to come out on top but sadly to say they didnt! If Eagle Pass was as good as he claims then he would of got the WIN when the oppurtunity was hand held to him when girls finished up the game. He did everything possible to waste time and turnover everything to his advantage but SB Lady Hounds played together and continued to get listen to this coach argue every play and turn umpires calls against them and still took home the WIN! So, Eagle Pass needs to focus on their loss and improve for next year! I was one of the parents there at the game so I witnessed all wrongful misdoings that Coach Ruiz tried to do.

    • SanBenitofan44 on May 16, 2013 at 12:47 pm
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    What a bunch of sore losers!

    This is ridiculous the UIL went by the rules and San Benito won fair and square because they were the better team. Alot of teams series around the state got cut down to one game because of the rain and I don’t see what makes Eagle Pass so special. All this is going to do is provide a distraction for our lady hounds as they take on a very good team that they deserve to play.

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