The stage was set for the Yellowjackets in last Tuesday’s baseball game against the visiting Harmony Eagles. The Jackets were down 3-2 when they came to bat in the bottom of the sixth.

Spencer Joyner led off with an infield hit, when he slapped a ball that careened off the pitcher’s glove and bounced toward the Eagle shortstop. The infielder could not adjust to the deflected ball, and Joyner was on base.

Ty Burch stepped in and cracked a ball through the left side of the infield for a single. Two on, no outs.

Two Jackets then went down at the plate. Dalton Hamlin reached on a walk, loading the bases.

Brady Shrum took his place in the box, and on the first delivery he drilled a ball into centerfield. Two runs scored. The Jackets took 4-3 lead going into the seventh.

Mineola starter Kaden Bell recorded the first out in the top of the seventh with a strike-out looking. The top of the Eagle order followed.

The game then went off the rails. A fielding error on a really tough chance put an Eagle on base. Two singles loaded the bases. A single through the infield tied the game. A check-swing single to center drove two more runs home. 

Matthew Ballew came out from behind the plate in relief of Bell and recorded the second and third outs on line-outs to left and right field, but the damage was done.   

Suddenly, the Jackets were down 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh. They needed baserunners.

J.J. Gandy beat out an infield hit. Jacob Castleberry pushed a single through the right side. When Joyner lined a single to right, the Jackets added a run and had runners at the corners. 

A sharply hit ball to the third base side of second forced Joyner at second. One away.

Braydon Alley stepped in and lifted a fly ball to right. Harmony made the catch, and the Jacket runner tagged from third. An excellent throw cut him down at the plate for the final out and the Jackets went down 7-5.

The game matched two talented teams, albeit of different styles.

Each team recorded 10 base hits. While the balance of Mineola’s hitting was well-placed strokes through the infield, Harmony made solid contact throughout the game. The Jackets leaned heavily on defensive work, while Harmony gifted the Jackets two runs with a throwing error.

Bell threw a nice game, until the Harmony rally in the seventh. He struck out five, walked one and set the Eagles down order in the third and the fifth.

Three Mineola defensive plays stood out. In the first an excellent throw by centerfielder Gandy prevented an Eagle baserunner from advancing after a tag. In the fourth, catcher Ballew (a left-hander) came out from the plate to field a bunt and peg a bullet throw to first for an out. And, in the second, rightfielder Shrum made a tough sliding catch of a ball in foul territory.

On this night, however, the momentum of the diamond simply swung to the visitors in the final inning. Both of these teams should be playing in the post season.