The Polo Moncada Stadium was alive with energy as the Eagle Pass Eagles clashed with Tristan Bristow and the Harlan Hawks in the first game of the Bi-District High School Baseball Championships. After a tough battle, the Eagles emerged victorious with a 3-1 score.

The match-up between Vanderbilt commit Bristow and Donovan Becerra on the mound was an intense one, with both pitchers holding their own until the fifth inning. Aidan Lopez reached base on an error, followed by a walk by Derek Ruiz and a double by Izhar Mauricio to left center, driving in two runs, including the game winner, and giving the Eagles a 2-0 lead. Catcher Pedro Fernandez was instrumental in the win, throwing out runners at second and scoring a run himself after stealing second base and being driven in by Isaac Stanwick.

Head Coach Reynol Mendoza was pleased with his team’s performance, stating, “It’s definitely great to get Game 1, especially when you go against their number one pitcher. We got the clutch hits when we needed them.” Mendoza also had high praise for Alexander Paniagua, who came in as relief for Becerra, saying, “He’s built for this. He’s prepared all year long for this situation, and it was evident with what he did right now.”

Coach Jason Vachs of the Harlan Hawks acknowledged the difficulty of games like these, noting, “It’s how we’ve always played against each other. Eagle Pass is a good baseball team, we’re a good baseball team, we’ve played against each other five or six times in the last two seasons, and all the games have looked like this. It’s two good baseball teams that like to battle each other.”

The Eagles will look to build on this win and take Game 2 of the series, while the Hawks will be fighting to stay alive and force a Game 3. The next game promises to be just as thrilling as the first, as these two teams continue to battle it out for the Bi-District title.