A 4-1 loss by Alexander to Medina Valley on March 25 left the Bulldogs vulnerable and searching for answers.
Andrew De Leon, who allowed four earned runs on the mound and went 0 for 3 at the plate, had some chats with head coach Fernando Lemus and the Alexander coaching staff.
"They told me, 'You have to start doing your job. You have to be Andrew again'", said De Leon, a senior left-handed pitcher and first baseman. "So this week, I had to bring in."
In a two-game series against District 30-6A frontrunner Eagle Pass in playoff-atmosphere baseball, De Leon got back to being Andrew again. The first matchup on April 1 featured him drive in a run in the first inning, get a hit and work a walk in Alexander's 4-2 win.
But he saved his best for the second matchup to launch Alexander into sole possession of first place in the district. De Leon pitched an absolute gem of a game. He allowed just two hits and struck out 13 batters. With De Leon on the mound, Eagle Pass only mustered six baseballs to leave the infield all night.
He was also the driving force at the plate. His two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning broke a scoreless tie. He finished 2 for 4 and Alexander won 7-0.
"Andrew did what he does. He stepped up and led the team to victory," Lemus said. "Eagle Pass is always tough. We were fighting for first place."
The fight for first place is a fight no more. The Bulldogs currently sit at 16-6 overall and in first of the district at 7-1. Alexander has a pair of games remaining against each LBJ and United to close out the regular season and district play. With De Leon expected for potentially one appearance on the mound in each series, Alexander is primed for a district title.
"We're lucky and fortunate to have a guy like Andrew. We've had him the past four years. He's been All-District the previous three years. He's been All-State. He's our team leader. If he goes, we go."
Where De Leon wants to go is on a roughly 260-mile trip north to Round Rock at the start of summer. The 6A baseball state final is scheduled on June 7 at Round Rock's Dell Diamond. Being in the state championship is where De Leon can picture Alexander baseball.
"We've preached since August about Round Rock," he said. "That's our ultimate goal. Before that, there's little steps to take."
Alexander baseball has never appeared in a state championship. Twice have the Bulldogs made it as far as the state semifinals – in 1999 and 2015.
The little steps to get to Round Rock include winning the program's 15th district title and racking together postseason wins. Last year, the Bulldogs won their 13th bi-district title, but a second-round loss denied them their 13th area title. Four times in program history has Alexander appeared in the regional finals.
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