MESQUITE – Mesquite's bats woke up too late to keep Rockwall from winning twice Saturday to capture their best-of-3 Class 5A area-round playoff series.

Mesquite started the day with a 1-0 series lead, but Rockwall's Travis Ballew gave up just two hits en route to a 6-1 win in Game 2 at Tillery Field.

In the deciding third game, Mesquite was held to just one infield hit through the first five innings by Rockwall's Richard Parson. Mesquite's offense came alive in the sixth and seventh but fell short, 8-6.

Mesquite's Game 3 rally began with a leadoff double by Casey Goode to start the sixth inning. Goode later scored on a wild pitch. Mesquite's first three runs were all scored on wild pitches.

In the seventh inning, Trey Evans blasted a three-run homer to pull Mesquite within two. It was the first hit of the day for Evans, who hit four home runs in a playoff doubleheader a week earlier.

After Evans' homer, Mesquite put two runners on with one out. But Zach Good was retired on a fly ball to center, and Jeremy Christian was doubled off second base to end the game.

Rockwall (21-11) advances to meet Plano West in the next round. Mesquite, which starts three sophomores and a freshman, ended its season 16-16.

Rockwall led in Game 3, 5-2, when lightning, rain and small hail forced a delay in the third inning. After the delay, Rockwall tacked on two runs in the fourth and another in the seventh to lead, 8-3.