When softball teams have established team chemistry, things just seem to happen for them. It is likely inexplicable, but folks associated with the game understand.

The district-leading Mineola Lady Jackets are in that favored state right now. For instance, there is no telling where that spark for a rally will come from on a game-by-game basis. 

In their 8-0 win over the Quitman Lady Bulldogs last Friday, that spark came  from number eight hitter Gracie Lindley. 

In the bottom of the third, with one out, Lindley slapped a ball toward shortstop which died on the infield, and she beat it out for a base hit.  Previously Quitman starter Kennedi Elmore had retired the first seven Lady Jackets in order.

Jadelyn Marshall followed Lindley, cracking a first-pitch triple to right-center. Kaitlyn McMahon’s sacrifice fly brought the second run home – Krissie Barker tagged from third as a pinch runner for Marshall –  and the Jackets had put up two runs in the third.

Mineola registered two more runs in each of the next three innings. In the fourth it was back-to-back extra base hits by Journie Wilson and Emily Hodges; in the fifth it was singles by Kaitlyn McMahon and Jaycee Smith combined with an extra-base hit by Wilson; and in the sixth doubles by Marshall and McMahon and an RBI-single by Caroline Castleberry did the damage. 

It seemed as though the whole team was waiting for Lindley to beat out that single back in the third.

Meanwhile, in the circle, Marshall had a stellar day – pitching four 1-2-3 innings in a complete-game, 2-hitter. Her pitch placement and the added movement on the ball in a strong crosswind rendered a dozen ground-ball outs by Lady Bulldog hitters. 

Quitman managed three baserunners on the day. Elmore led off the second with a base hit up the middle and, in the third, Alexis Frazier beat-out an infield hit. Addison Marcee reached in the sixth on a throwing error.