The Mineola Yellowjackets had their season ended by the top seed from District 14-3A, the Atlanta Jackrabbits, in bidistrict action last week. Atlanta swept the Jackets, 6-4 and 11-8, in a well-played series.

In game one, the Rabbits simply generated more base runners. Those base runners – 14 on the night – produced six runs. On the other side of the ledger, the Jackets put eight men on base, scoring four. That was, effectively, the story of the game.

The first score of the night was illustrative of the Rabbits’ game. After a 7-pitch at bat, the lead-off hitter singled with a ground ball up the middle. He took second with a clean steal and advanced to third on a passed ball. The run came in on a fielder’s choice ground ball to the left side.    

The Jackets also recorded a base runner in the first when D.J. McDowell singled through the left side but was stranded at first.

Game one was well-pitched. Left-hander Ty Burch got the start for the Jackets. He threw 5 2/3 giving up four hits, striking-out three and issuing five free passes. He gave way to Dalton Hamlin in the sixth who finished having given up two hits with one strike-out and two base-on-balls. 

The Atlanta starter, Eli Stephens, threw six innings giving up five hits, striking-out four and issuing one walk. A finisher came-in in the seventh to dispatch the Jackets with a strike-out and two 6-3 ground balls.    

The game was a close affair the whole way. Atlanta put two more runs up in the fourth, using the same template – reach first, steal second and gain scoring position. Two RBI singles, one punched through the right side and the other a true Texas-leaguer, made the score 3-0. 

Mineola hung one run on the board in the bottom half of the fourth. Braydon Alley reached on a throwing error. A Hamlin base hit to right put him on third, and Alley scored when Matthew Ballew laid down a bunt single. 

Atlanta relentlessly kept producing. They etched one run in the fifth with a sacrifice fly, one run in the sixth courtesy of yet another Texas-leaguer, and one in the seventh on an error after loading the bases.

Close games can change in a flash, and Mineola very nearly stole game one. Trailing 5-1 going in the bottom of the sixth, Burch reached on a throwing error. McDowell earned a walk. Braydon Alley drilled a ball off the wall driving in Burch and McDowell.  

Alley came in to score two batters later when Ballew cracked a ball into centerfield. Ballew – the tying run – stole second base but was left begging as the Jackets went down with a strike-out and an unassisted ground ball to first.

Atlanta added one run in the seventh to conclude the scoring.

The loss, both Wednesday’s game one and the series decider Saturday, will give the Yellowjackets plenty to consider in the off-season. A bidistrict title was close at hand and will certainly linger in the returning players’ minds until next season.