The Quitman Bulldogs came to Mineola and posted an efficient 6-1 victory over the Yellowjackets last Thursday.

Bulldog starter Davis Watson went six innings, giving up three hits, striking out 11, and issuing four free passes. Watson was in command of his pitches all night and worked from ahead in the count throughout the game.  Logan Davis came in to close the seventh inning, setting the Jackets down in order. 

Quitman played efficient, complementary baseball. In the first, with one out and Juan Ramirez on second, Watson put a sharply-hit ground ball through the right side, driving home Ramirez. 

In a classic sequence in the third inning, the Bulldogs had runners on second and third with no outs. Davis played an easy hopper to second base, which drove a run home. Colten Barkdull then launched a fly ball to center, allowing Watson to tag and score.  It was baseball 101.

While Quitman did commit one throwing error, they looked and played like the more confident team. Errors took a toll on the home side. Mineola committed four errors in the field – a misjudged fly ball, one muffed grounder and two throwing errors. It cost the Jackets three runs.

The Bulldogs generated only five base hits in the game, but three of them produced RBIs. Quitman played aggressively on the base paths and put the ball in play throughout the lineup. It kept the momentum on the visitors’ side for seven innings.

Quitman chased Mineola starter Beckham Bowker (4 and 2/3 innings, 4 hits, 1 K, 1 BB) in the fourth. Bowker just did not have his normal repertoire of pitches, and the Bulldogs were attuned to his timing. Carson Threlkeld came on and finished for the Jackets. He gave up one hit, struck out two and walked three.

The Bulldogs are sitting in second place in district behind undefeated Edgewood. The next two weeks will tell a lot about the Quitman team. They face Grand Saline this week, and have a two-game series against Edgewood to close out district play. Tuesday, April 14 is the last home game of the year for the Bulldogs in the opening game of the Edgewood series. 

The Jackets’ sole remaining home game is Tuesday, April 21 when they host Eustace.