Marlins head for diamond
Friday night lights shine on play-offs
BY DAN PARKER SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

Diving back STAFF PHOTO BY KAREN COLLINS After taking a lead, Port Aransas High School Marlins baseball player Nick Benavidez dives back to first base to avoid being thrown out by a Runge High School pitcher during a game on April 19.

Lifeguard The Port Aransas High School Marlins baseball team will face the Ben Bolt High School Badgers in a best-of-three competition for the bidistrict championship on Friday and Saturday, May 2-3.

The games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday San Diego High School and at 4 p.m. Saturday at Gregory- Portland High School. If the teams split their first two games, they will play a third game to decide the series about 30 minutes after the game at Gregory-Portland.

This is the Marlins' first foray into the play-offs since PAHS started its baseball program in spring 1999.

The Marlins made the play-offs by coming in third in District 31A. The top three finishers make the play-offs. Charlotte and Falls City high schools finished ahead of Port Aransas.

Ben Bolt finished in second place in District 32A and are 15-4 overall.

"So, they obviously can play," said Brian Flack, coach of the Marlins. "I think we have a good chance. But it's hard to tell, since our guys have never been there before."

Still, the Marlins' experience this season bodes well. The team has beaten three other teams that have made it to the playoffs this year: Medina, Sabinal and Falls City high schools.

"So, we have to see how our kids play when they have to turn it up to another level, mentally, for the playoffs," Flack said.