By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
After a successful baseball season that earned the San Benito Greyhounds the right to compete in the Class 6A playoffs, eight athletes were placed on the all-district team, including a lone unanimous selection.
Senior Mario Arizpe was arguably the most heralded of the ’Hounds, both at the plate and on the mound.
For his efforts, he was voted unanimously to the first team as a pitcher, and the second team as a hitter and player who manned third base.
As a pitcher, Arizpe had a 5-3 record, earning wins against Edinburg (won 6-2), Weslaco (won 8-4), Brownsville Veterans Memorial (won 1-0), and Brownsville Hanna, twice (won 6-3, 2-0).
He earned double-digit strikeouts against Veterans (11 K’s) and Harlingen (10K’s). The ’Hounds lost to the Cardinals by a 10-2 margin.
Arizpe struck out 45 batters this season. He allowed 31 runs and 24 hits in a competitive district that saw the ’Hounds place fourth behind champion Los Fresnos, Harlingen and a tie with Veterans.
As a hitter, Arizpe finished with a .378 batting average that led to an on base percentage (OBP) of .558 — both team highs. That means when he went to bat, his production led to running circles around the bases in some form or fashion, including one-time as a homerun hitter.
His slugging percentage of .595 also led the team, which competed in District 32-6A.
The modest Arizpe once said in an interview that he couldn’t accomplish his feats without his teammates.
“We’ve had a very good season, and when we win games, everybody is involved,” Arizpe said.
In an extra innings home win by a 1-0 score against Veterans in April, he scored the game-winning run.
But, it was teammate Ethan Garza who drove in the game winner.
For his efforts, Garza (eight runs, eight hits) was also named to the second team as a first baseman, joining Arizpe. Garza was third among hitters with runs batted in; the junior had nine RBIs.
The other ’Hounds who were named to the first team include shortstop Justin Montemayor and outfielder Gabriel Covarrubias — both seniors.
Montemayor had a .273 batting average, placing him second on the team.
He had an OBP of .461, and led the team in runs (13), RBIs (12), and doubles (five).
Covarrubias had a .250 BA.
He led San Benito in triples (three), and shared the team lead in hits alongside Montemayor with 15.
Head Coach Ramiro Partida, Jr. said the crop of seniors who played together all their careers at SBHS were experienced in competing at the varsity level.
“This year, we were led by a big core of seniors who were in the program all four years,” Partida said. “So they knew what it took to make the playoffs.”
These ’Hounds forced a three-game series to go all the way against Weslaco in the Division 1 bi-district round.
San Benito finished with a 12-16 overall record.
Rounding out the all-district team in the honorable mention category was an all senior class that included second baseman Jacob Guerra (.375 BA, 5 runs, double), catcher Armando Garcia (.250 BA, 8 hits, 8 RBIs), outfielder Omar Bravo (6 hits), and pitcher Robby Leal (4-5 record, 37 K’s).
“I am very proud of the group of kids that I coached. One of our main goals was to make the playoffs for the fifth straight year, and we did,” Partida said. “It was a challenge, but the kids persevered, worked hard, and got it done.”
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