The Middle Tennessee Mudcats' summer season came to a close Monday via a 3-1 loss to Spring Hill in the first round of the Middle Tennessee High School Baseball League Tournament at BGA.

The Mudcats (14-17) looked good at the outset of the contest, scoring a first inning run as Caleb Keller led off with a base on balls before Ryan Yelensky banged a base hit to the right side on a perfect hit and run to put runners on the corners.

Alex Brewer drove in Keller to up his team lead in RBIs to 14 for the summer, but the Mudcats would not push across another run in the frame.

Escaping a jam

Yelensky started on the hill for the Cats and got out of a two-on, two-out jam in the home half of the first on a pop-up, followed by a grounder to Keller at second.

Spring Hill starting hurler Michael Mackezyk began to twirl the curveball in the second inning, stymying the Mudcats with three strikeouts.

The Raiders' summer league squad gave Mackezyk the lead in the home half of the frame, scoring twice on a two-out, two-run single off the bat of Brandon Hardison.

Mackezyk would allow just one base runner over the next two innings, and in the bottom of the fourth, Brandon Hardison made it 3-1, drawing a bases loaded walk off Yelensky.

Staying close

In the top of the fifth, Mackezyk struck out four batters in the inning with Bryce Oliver reaching on an error by the Spring Hill catcher after whiffing with one down.

Yelensky survived a two-error inning in the bottom of the fifth and Mackezyk got three straight ground ball outs after Keller reached on a Spring Hill error to lead off the frame in the sixth.

Ryan Byrd came in from the bullpen to relieve Yelensky with a runner on first and two down in the bottom of the sixth, but Mudcats' catcher Austin Harber gunned down Josh Frantz on a steal attempt to send the contest to the final inning.

One more chance

After a ground out for the first out, the Mudcats stayed alive on back-to-back singles by Harber and Kennedy Mathis before a 5-3 double play put the cap on the Mudcats summer campaign.

Oliver was team leader in batting for the summer with a .358 average with Yelensky close behind at .350.

Yelensky (3-1) went 6 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, while walking four and striking out one in his first loss the summer.

Mackezyk picked up the complete game victory, giving up just three hits, while whiffing 10 and walking three.