STARKVILLE — All Travis Garner could do was shake his head.
The Starkville High School baseball coach strongly believes in a team not beating itself and giving itself great opportunities to win. For most of the year, that’s what his Yellow Jackets did.
But that wasn’t the case Tuesday night, as Starkville committed three errors and allowed 16 hits in a season-ending 14-1 five-inning loss to Tupelo at Yellow Jacket Field in the second round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A playoffs.
“I think it was probably the second game all year where you could say we helped the cause,” Garner said. “But then the flip side of it, you look at the scoreboard and they had 16 hits. Everything they hit found a hole. Even if we play a solid game, I’m not sure it wouldn’t have made that much of a difference.”
The Yellow Jackets (18-11) lost to the Golden Wave 5-1 Saturday in the first game of the best-of-three-series. Tupelo will play Northwest Rankin in the quarterfinals.
Things derailed for Starkville and starting pitcher J.D. Taylor in the second inning, when the Yellow Jackets allowed five runs and fell behind 6-0. Taylor walked leadoff batter Ray Sandroni and allowed a bunt single to Charlie Greer. He retired Jackson Bridges on a sacrifice bunt, but the runners moved to second and third. He hit No. 9 hitter South Sanders to load the bases.
“I struggled a lot throwing strikes. I couldn’t find the zone,” Taylor said. “They hit the ball well. It’s a tough loss.”
Stephen Matthews singled up the middle to score the inning’s first run. Josh Smith drove in a run with a fielder’s choice. LaBryant Sidell, who was 4-for-4, drove home a run with a single to right field, and Tucker Whitenton singled to right field off reliever Austin Campbell, but new right fielder Jonathan Evans didn’t keep the ball in front of him. The error allowed two runs to score.
Taylor, who will sign with Blue Mountain College, threw 1 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs (five earned) on three hits. He allowed one walk and didn’t record a strikeout.
Along with Campbell, Garner used Will Prewitt out of the bullpen, but it didn’t seem to bother the Golden Wave.
Garner said Taylor has been the team’s best arm out of the bullpen since spring break in the middle of March, but he felt like he had to start him.
“It’s one of those situations where, do you really not want to start a do-or-die game with the guy who’s been your best arm all year, not give him a chance to toe the bump?” Garner said.
The Jackets tried to rally in the second. After Rashon Tate grounded out, Taylor earned a walk and Dee Petty singled to center field. Evans struck out, but Jacob Williams reached on an infield single to load the bases. Second baseman Will Murphree, who flashed leather all night, struck out to end the threat.
The game started off on a sour note for the Yellow Jackets, as third baseman Carter Bentley committed an error to allow Stephen Matthews to reach. Matthews hit a slow rolling ground ball, but Bentley charged and fielded it. His throw was in the dirt and Prewitt couldn’t handle it at first for an error. Matthews scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0.
The Golden Wave (19-9) added three runs in the third, a run in the fourth on a leadoff solo home run to right field by Whitenton, and four in the fifth.
Although the season didn’t end the way the Jackets wanted it to, Taylor feels like the eight seniors have laid the foundation for what Garner wants.
“I think we’ve meant a lot,” Taylor said. “Other guys have got a lot of shoes to fill. We took a big step in the right direction, and hopefully these guys can keep it rolling.”
Bridges went all five innings and allowed six hits. He struck out three and walked one. Sidell, Whitenton (three), Greer (three), Matthews (two), and Bridges (two) had multiple hits for the Golden Wave.
Although Starkville didn’t help itself, Garner said Tupelo did all the right things and more to take the victory.
“It’s just one of those things. It’s baseball. You hate to end it this way because it’s a really, really good bunch,” Garner said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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