Yelowjackets fall in warmup test

Posted 4/27/23

The Mineola Yellowjackets dropped a game to the visiting Prairiland Patriots 7-3 in non-district action Friday. The game was intended as a tune-up for the upcoming week of play against Quitman and …

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Yelowjackets fall in warmup test

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The Mineola Yellowjackets dropped a game to the visiting Prairiland Patriots 7-3 in non-district action Friday. The game was intended as a tune-up for the upcoming week of play against Quitman and Mt. Vernon – with both games having playoff implications – but Friday’s game went lacking. 

The Yellowjackets were able to keep everyone’s arm warm, as Mineola sent four pitchers in for more than spot appearances. Kaden Bell started. He was followed by Jacob Castleberry, Braydon Alley and Spencer Joyner.

The visitors put up two runs in the first, four runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth. The Patriots banged out nine base hits, mostly line-drive singles. 

Concerning for the Yellowjackets was the presence of fielding errors in two of three of the Patriots rallies. In baseball, errors happen. What is concerning are the moments immediately following an error.

In two cases Friday evening, Mineola fielders bobbled a ball which negated the chance to gun down a runner. Instead of holding the ball, the fielders rushed their throws, which then went awry.

On another occasion a relay back to the infield was cut-off but the ensuing throw to second base was off target and yet another run scored.

It wasn’t just in the field that there were miscues. In the third inning, a Jacket was put out on third on an attempted steal. The baserunner chose to go in standing-up and was put out on an excellent throw from the Prairiland catcher.

Mineola had only one rally in the game. It came in the fifth. Dalton Hamlin reached on a clean single to left. Matthew Ballew was pinged for a free pass, and with two outs, Castleberry drilled an RBI-single to left, scoring Hamlin. Ballew came in on a passed ball. 

The other run for Mineola came in the second. Leading off the bottom half, Brady Shrum crushed a ball to right-centerfield. He was in with a triple and scored on a balk. 

There were, of course, yet some stand-out plays. In the third, Ballew nailed a Patriot runner trying to steal second. It was an excellent throw. 

Mineola shortstop Joyner executed a tough out on a ball chopped to shortstop. He had to charge the ball and send his throw on the way while leaping. It was just a great play.  

Despite those plays, if there is something akin to sync in a baseball team, the Yellowjackets didn’t have it in their duffle bag Friday. There is no doubt, however that they will get a lot of mileage out of that match-up with Prairiland.