Last Friday down in Malakoff, Journie Wilson was simply ‘seeing the ball.’  She went 3 for 5 with two triples and a home run, batting in 4 runs and elevating the Lady Jackets to an 8-4 win over the Malakoff Lady Tigers.

The game started in fine form for the Lady Jackets. Caroline Castleberry led off by lining a two-strike pitch to right field for a single. She came home three batters later, when Wilson smashed a ball off the right field fence for her first triple of the day.

Each starter, Mineola’s Jadelyn Marhsall (9 innings, 5 hits, 3 BB, 11 K) and Malakoff’s Alabama Anding (9 innings, 11 hits, 1 BB, 12 K), then settled in.  The next 18 hitters were set down in order by the two starters. 

Malakoff tied the score in the fourth. Marshall gave up a rare walk, and Malakoff chased a run home with a well-hit double. 

The next Lady Tiger stroked a drive to centerfield, but Mahayla McMahon gunned down the runner trying to score from second.  The put-out kept the score tied: 1–1.

In the top of the sixth, the Lady Jackets put two runners on, courtesy of a walk and a fielding error.  Wilson stepped to the plate and launched a rocket to dead-away center field. It cleared the fence by a wide margin, and gave the Lady Jackets a 4-1 lead.

But it was only the top of sixth inning. Mineola needed six more outs to win.

In the bottom half, the Lady Jackets temporarily lost their focus. A walk, two fielding errors, and a soft liner which dropped in the outfield allowed the Lady Tigers to knot the score once again. 

The Lady Jackets had entered a funk. Catcher Coco Nguyen gathered the infield on the mound for a few words. It worked. Two easy infield put-outs closed the inning. 

Each side put a runner on in the seventh – Kaitlyn McMahon legged out a triple for Mineola – but neither team could bring a run across.

In the eighth, Wilson lined a sharp drive into right field, but the Lady Tiger fielder made a nice diving catch on the ball. 

The home side had the momentum; Mineola needed a rally. 

The rally started with Marshall slicing a ball just inside the first baseline for a single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Maddie Short, and found third after Jorja Young singled to center. Young took second on the throw back into the infield.

With two away, Kaitlyn McMahon smashed a hard one-hopper to the first baseman. The fielder dove and the ball remained under the fielder. Two runs scampered home in the confusion, and Kaitlyn McMahon ended up on second. 

Mahayla McMahon promptly drove the first pitch into right field for a RBI double. 

Wilson then stepped into the box and registered her second triple of the day, bringing home Mahayla McMahon. The Lady Jackets had taken a four-run lead.

Marshall ended the game in the ninth with two strike-outs and a routine ground ball to Kali Chrietzberg at third.

There was concern that the Lady Jackets were at risk of gifting the game to the hosts after that let-down in the sixth. What they really needed were just a couple of more at-bats.  

The next chance to see Mineola softball at home is Tuesday, March 24 against Edgewood.