By Noah Dalton
MITCHELL – Mitchell High School began their 2025 season on Monday, welcoming Linton-Stockton to Seitzinger Field for what turned out to be quite a battle.
By the time all the smoke had cleared and the dust had settled, the Miners had claimed the victory after eight-innings, 8-6.
The early goings of the game went largely in the Bluejackets’ favor, taking an early lead after scoring a run in each of the first two innings. Though they managed just one hit during that stretch, they were able to keep a consistent stream of baserunners by drawing four walks across the two frames.
Linton-Stockton came fighting back in the third, scoring three runs to take the lead after being held to no hits and just one runner, who’d reached base on an error in the first, up until that point.
The two teams went on to exchange runs until the sixth inning, when the Miners went up 6-4 after holding Mitchell to back-to-back scoreless innings.
With two outs in the sixth, Bluejackets’ third baseman Bryson Zeeks tied the game back up with an inside the park homerun on a line drive to right field, also bringing home Connor Teague, who’d reached base with a single in the previous at bat.
That tie held firmly into extras until the top of the eighth inning, when Casen Goodman slammed a double into center field, scoring runners from second and third that would go on to decide the game.
Following the recent success of the program, which claimed a regional championship in 2023, this game was the first of a new era for Mitchell.
With much of the lineup from the past few seasons having graduated, as well as a new head coach in J.D. Gaines, the team looks considerably different year-to-year.
For much of Mitchell’s lineup, Monday’s matchup was their first experience playing at the varsity level. Add to that the 40-degree cold and the pressure of extra innings and you’ve got a tough spot for a relatively inexperienced group.
“A lot of guys only had JV time. And just like tonight, when the varsity game goes late, JV guys, they’re going home empty-handed, not able to play. So I’d have to guess some of these guys probably logged seven or eight games last year, other than maybe two guys that got to play some varsity. So, I like the enthusiasm the guys had,” said Gaines.
“There’s just a few little things that happened tonight that could have gone either way. But Linton’s a good team, they’ve got a good coach, but overall, I’m pleased, especially when you consider the cold.”
Teague got the nod on the mound to begin the game for the Bluejackets, throwing three innings and striking out five. Aiding him were Zeeks, who pitched the final four innings of regulation and Gavin Martin, who took over in the eighth.
Last year’s group of graduates included Mitchell’s go-to arms in Simon Gaines and Ben Seitzinger, leaving room for others to step up into a new role, one that the first-year coach expects to see guys thrive in as the season continues.
“They’re gonna have to replace Simon and Ben from last year and I’ve got the confidence in them to do it,” said Gaines. “We’ve got a few more guys we’ll be throwing in the mix, Wednesday night when we play Bloomfield. So I think the pitching staff, as good as they did tonight, they’ll be better as the weeks go on.”
Linton-Stockton (8 Runs, 7 Hits, 5 Errors)
Batting
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
| Miller #4 (SS) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Smith #21 (P, LF) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Aubery #13 (1B) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| R. Goodman #6 (P, CF) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Husband #42 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| C. Goodman #15 (2B) | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Sullivan #24 (1B, P) | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Rose #7 (LF, 1B) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Walker #2 (CF, RF) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Totals: 32 AB, 8 R, 7 H, 5 RBI, 10 BB, 9 SO
Team Stats:
- 2B: C. Goodman
- SB: Sullivan, Rose
- E: Miller, Walker, Aubery (3)
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| R. Goodman #6 | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Smith #21 | 4.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Sullivan #24 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Total: 8.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 10 BB, 11 SO
Mitchell Varsity Bluejackets (6 Runs, 6 Hits, 4 Errors)
Batting
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
| Dason Kerr #17 (CF) | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Gavin Martin #6 (SS, P) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Connor Teague #9 (1B, 3B, SS) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryson Zeeks #7 (3B, P) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Cooper McFadden #5 (C) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Ryker Moore #16 (LF) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Boston True #10 (RF) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Cody Howard #8 (1B) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Parker Felton #1 (2B) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Totals: 29 AB, 6 R, 6 H, 4 RBI, 10 BB, 11 SO
Team Stats:
- HR: Bryson Zeeks
- SB: Felton, True, Kerr, Teague
- E: Howard, Zeeks (2)
- TB: Moore, Martin, Kerr, Teague, Zeeks (5)
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Connor Teague #9 | 3.0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Bryson Zeeks #2 | 4.1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Gavin Martin #6 | 0.2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Total: 8.0 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 10 BB, 9 SO
