J.D. Moya and the Riviera-Kaufer varsity baseball team ousted Taft in the area round of the playoffs held in Robstown this past week. Moya pitched all seven innings in Game One and was the closer in Game Three where he also batted in a pair of runs. The Seahawks won the series two games to one and now face Bishop in the regional quarterfinals.Facing a one game deficit in their best-of-three area playoff series, Riviera- Kaufer High School’s varsity baseball team rebounded in the sequel and the third contest en route to sending Taft home for the season this past Saturday. Multiple errors and a lack of hitting tripped up the Seahawks who lost Game One to the Greyhounds 2-1 on Thursday. Kaufer began turning things around in Game Two and returned the favor to Taft by the same score on Friday.

The Seahawks finished off Taft 8-1 on Saturday. Steven Salinas was brought in on a single by J.D. Moya for the Seahawks’ first score in the first inning. A sacrifice play by Hubba Reynolds allowed Brett Quackenbush to score in the second inning. J.D. Vela was standing on third base and Reynolds had a foot on second when Salinas doubled and brought them both in during the fourth inning.

Taft repeatedly hurt themselves through numerous errors which the Seahawks took advantage of. Kaufer loaded the bases in the fifth inning and Vela singled to bring in Wade Moore and Heston Van Fleet. Moya doubled in the sixth inning and Ricky Falcon (winning pitcher) scored. Moore hit a single, which was misfielded by Taft, and Courtesy Runner Cody Salinas came home for Kaufer’s final tally.

“We didn’t swing the bat as well as I wanted to in the first couple of games,” Head Coach Joseph R. Pickens said. “I think the butterflies were still settling in with the playoffs and the off week, but we finally got things going and we played Riviera Seahawk baseball today.”

Now the Seahawks face U.S. Hwy. 77 buddy Bishop in the 2A region quarterfinals. The Seahawks, this season, defeated the Badgers in both their 32-2A encounters and once in two preseason meetings. Pickens said he is expecting a good old fashioned slobber-knocker.

“It is going to be a dogfight. Every time we play those guys, whether in district or tournaments, it is always a dogfight,” Pickens said. “Those are always close games, we’re always neck and neck, they’re an outstanding ball club and we definitely have our work cut out for us. We have one of the toughest districts in 2A baseball and for us and Bishop to still be in the postseason says a lot about our district and the kind of baseball we play down here in South Texas.”

The best-of-three region quarterfinal series will be held at Fairgrounds Field in Robstown. Game One is at 7 p m. on Thursday. Game Two is at 5 p.m. on Friday. Game Three - if necessary - is at 2 p.m. on Saturday.