Up Next: Jays vs. Raiders on Holy Thursday at John Ryan Stadium with First Pitch at 3:30 p.m.

The Blue Jays began District 9-5A competition on Tuesday evening against John Curtis. The Patriots shut out Jesuit, 1-0.

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The Jays and the Patriots of John Curtis played their first District 9-5A game of the 2016 season on a crisp Tuesday evening at Mike Miley Stadium. For the Blue Jays and their fans, the game ended in a tough loss, perhaps stinging a bit more because the Pats shut out Jesuit, 1-0.

All the Jays could produce during seven innings were three team hits, singles off the bats of Brandon Briuglio and Conner Maginnis, and a double by Austin North. The Jays left a total of six runners stranded.

Mason Mayfield pitched a complete game (six innings), giving up a lone run in the bottom of the fourth. He held the Pats to three hits and struck out six.

It was Jesuit’s fourth loss in the past seven games and came on the heels of two straight wins in the Gerard Oubre Memorial Tournament this past weekend.

Coach Joey Latino was visibly upset talking to his players on the field after the last out.

“We were, in a word, bad and I’m extremely disappointed,” he said after ordering the team to climb aboard the bus for the ride back to Carrollton and Banks. “We had opportunities in the first inning and other opportunities in the third or fourth frames, but we squandered those and didn’t get anything.”

Jesuit’s best opportunity came early, in the top of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Nick Ray reached first base when the infield zinger he hit could not be fielded by the Pats. In a pickoff attempt, the throw from the mound was wild, allowing Ray to advance safely to second. Briuglio grounded out and advanced Ray to third base with one out. Hayden Fuentes drew four balls and stole second base. Jake Licciardi struck out for out number two. Then Connor Maginnis walked to load the bases. But the threat was terminated when Austin North hit a pop fly to shallow center field. Three Patriots converged and almost collided but one of them managed to put a glove around the ball for the third out.

Mason Mayfield pitched a complete game (six innings), giving up three hits and one earned run that was plated in the bottom of the fourth.

“Mason pitched good, he didn’t pitch great,” said Coach Latino. “He made a couple of back-to-back mistakes in the fourth inning when they scored their run. He left the pitches up and the batters hit both of them. Other than that, Mason pitched well enough to win, but you have to give the young man support. And no runs is no runs.”

Jesuit (12-5 overall; 0-1 district) plays Rummel on Holy Thursday, March 24, at John Ryan Stadium. First pitch is 3:30 p.m. Students with IDs from Jesuit and Rummel enjoy free admission. Otherwise the cost is $5 for students from other schools, as well as adults; for children ages 6-11, the cost is $3.

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