Prep Baseball: District 14-3A champion Atlanta sweeps Mineola in bi-district round

CARTHAGE, Texas — Atlanta reached the regional quarterfinals last year in the playoffs. Now the Rabbits want more.

And what a great start to getting there as they opened the 2024 playoffs with a sweep of Mineola in a best-of-three bi-district series last week.

With this victory, the District 14-3A champion will look to continue its dominance in the area round against Elysian Fields.

The series will feature a home-and-away match between the two teams, with a deciding third game at a neutral site if necessary. The first game is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Atlanta, with the second game taking place at Elysian Field, starting at 7 p.m. The third game, if necessary, will be played Saturday in Carthage, Texas.

Atlanta has won 15 straight, dating back to March 15.

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Game 1

Atlanta 6, Mineola 4

The Rabbs scored six runs on seven hits and held off a late Mineola rally to win the series opener.

Atlanta put its first run of the game on the board in the first inning on a Peyton Gaston RBI single to bring home Will Woodruff. A pair of run-scoring singles by Cason Whatley and Mitchell in the fourth inning increased the lead to 3-0.

Mineola was able to cut the deficit in the fifth with a run.

Gaston flew out to center in the fifth inning, but Brady Partain scored for another Rabbit run.

After Mineola’s three-run inning, Gaston’s fielder’s choice in the sixth gave Atlanta an insurance point before putting their opponent away in the seventh.

Peyton Harrison led the Rabbits with two hits in the win, while Gaston had a team-high three RBIs. Easton Stevens pitched six innings, striking out five, walking one and allowing four runs – three earned – on five hits.

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Game 2

Atlanta 11, Mineola 8

A five-run fourth inning gave Atlanta the boost it needed to close out the bi-district series against Mineola on Saturday and advance to the area round.

Maintaining a 4-2 lead, Peyton Harrison led off the big inning with a two-run single to right field, scoring Jaden Riley and Woodruff. After stealing second and third bases, Harrison then scored on a passed ball for the third run of the inning.

Easton Owens then hit a triple to bring home Gaston, and Ownes completed the scoring in the fourth inning after scoring on a sacrifice fly.

After the Rabbits’ big inning, Mineola scored six runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but it wouldn’t be enough.

Mitchell led the Rabbits with three hits, and Harrison and Riley each added two. Eli Dryden, who got the win on the mound, Whatley and Woodruff combined for six strikeouts, four walks and 11 hits.