Mineola Yellowjacket righthander Kaden Bell dealt a masterful performance Monday night in Grand Saline by going the distance in a 6-0, four-hit shutout of the Quitman Bulldogs. The win unlocked the post-season for the Jackets and ended the Bulldogs season.

Bell’s stats line was impressive. He spread four hits over seven innings, walked one and struck out 11. What was more impressive than the statistics, however, was how he pitched. He consistently stayed ahead of the Bulldog batters and knew what he wanted to throw. It was not uncommon to see him shake off signaled pitches.

When Bell was forced to work with a runner on base, he closed out each inning in the most expeditious manner possible.

His best efforts were in the late innings. In the sixth, Bulldog Carson Dickens sent a ball deep into the right field corner for a triple. He was left on base, as Bell struck-out the next two Quitman hitters on seven pitches.

The game was a rematch of the Bell vs. Landon Richey pitching duel of a week before. Richey left the game after three innings and took the loss. Tommy Drinkwine finished for Quitman. Mineola added one earned and one unearned run off of Tommy Drinkwine. 

The game started in a unique fashion with Bell and Richey striking out the side in the first inning. The game broke open in the second.

Brady Shrum reached on a walk. Braydon Alley lifted a towering fly ball into right field. The Bulldog outfielder drifted back to make the catch and appeared to be waiting for the ball to descend. He had lost the ball in the setting sun. The ball impacted about 20 feet from him. Shrum scored, and Alley ended up at third.

Next up was Bell. He fouled off two pitches trying to put-down a bunt. A quick word with Coach Russell Bowker and on the next pitch, Bell placed a near perfect bunt down the third baseline. The bunt scored Alley.

Dalton Hamlin reached on a walk and had clean steals of second and third. He scored on a passed ball. The Jackets had taken a 3-0 lead. 

Mineola added a run in the third. Jacob Castleberry reached on a dropped third strike. With two away, Spencer Joyner cracked a drive into the right-centerfield gap. The double scored Castleberry.

The Jackets notched one run in the fifth and one in the sixth. In each case, the Jackets earned a base on balls and brought that baserunner home. In the fifth it was a well-placed bunt by Castleberry which scored Cason Davis. In the sixth, a Hamlin base hit drove in Shrum, who had walked.

It was Kaden Bell — and his 88-pitch showcase — however, who was most responsible for this win.

Mineola faces Hooks Friday at 6 p.m. for bidistrict in Mt. Pleasant with game two Saturday at 10 a.m. and a third game, if necessary, after the second game.