The Mineola Yellowjackets put up another gem of a win last Wednesday against the visiting Harmony Eagles. Mineola sent nine hitters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth to break a 3-3 tie and give the Jackets their second district win, 8-3.

The Jackets got on the board in the second when Trevor Singletary recorded the first of Mineola’s ten hits. Spencer Joyner followed with a stand-up double which pushed Singletary to third. 

What followed was an odd defensive play by the Eagles. Jacob Castleberry put down a nicely-placed bunt to the left side. Harmony cleanly fielded the bunt and had a chance to get Singletary at home but chose instead to get the out at first. Joyner scored, the throw went awry, and Castleberry safely gained first base.

Harmony answered in the third as their lead-off batter beat-out an infield hit and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice. 

Joyner, who had a solid five innings on the mound, also went 3 for 3 at the plate. He collected three stand-up doubles and saw the baseball well all day. A bunt by Castleberry allowed him to take third base in the bottom of the fourth. An RBI-bunt by Dalton Hamlin then brought him home. Mineola took a 3-1 edge after four innings.      

The Harmony top of the order knotted the score in the fifth on three consecutive singles and a passed ball. 

In the fifth Kaden Bell reached with the best-hit pitch of the game – a single rifled into center. The Jackets however could not bring him around, and the game went into the sixth knotted at 3.

Cason Davis came on in relief in the sixth as Joyner issued two walks to start the inning. Davis recorded a strike-out and two fly-balls to strand the Eagle baserunners. 

The second out of the inning was great teamwork to prevent the Harmony baserunner from tagging at third and scoring. Centerfielder Brady Shrum made a textbook catch of the ball and an excellent throw to the plate. Zack Haskins blocked the throw on one hop and Harmony did not challenge the plate. 

Mineola’s big inning began with Joyner lifting a ball to short center. The Harmony shortstop and center fielder collided and the ball fell to the turf. Joyner cruised into second. Castleberry sacrificed Joyner to third. 

In the second odd defensive play of the game, Hamlin put the ball on the ground to the shortstop. Despite having a chance to get Joyner at the plate, Harmony once again chose to try to get the runner at first. Joyner scored and Hamlin was safe on an errant throw.    

The Jackets had broken the tie, and they weren’t done. Two excellent bunts by Haskins and Shrum went for base hits. Davis picked up a walk, and with the bases loaded, Bell’s sacrifice fly brought home another run. Braydon Alley stepped in and sliced a clean single to center which scored Shrum and Davis. 

Davis set the Eagles down in order in the seventh and the Jackets secured their second district win.

The win was characteristic for the Russell Bowker-coached team. Mineola used the bunt to great advantage – to generate baserunners, advance around the bases and jumpstart their hitting. They combined speed and smarts on the base paths with quality pitching and excellent defense. 

After visiting Quitman Tuesday, the Jackets will host Mt. Vernon Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.