DENHAM SPRINGS – Mandeville won eight of its previous nine games heading into Friday’s Class 5A quarterfinal against Airline using timely hitting and good defense.

Against the Vikings, those two traits all but disappeared as the Skippers stranded eight base runners and committed four errors in giving Airline the opening it needed to eliminate Mandeville 9-5.

“We just didn’t play good defense today,” Mandeville head coach Matt Brown said. “You come out in a big game like this and kick the ball around a little bit against good teams like this and it’ll come back to haunt you.”

By Bradley Handwerger / WWL-TV.com

Mandeville's Kody Keowen slides in safe past Airline third baseman Chase Daughdrill for a triple in Friday's Class 5A quarterfinal in Denham Springs. Airline won 9-5 to move into the semfinals.

It all happened in the worst time possible – after Mandeville (19-12) came from behind, tying the game 4-4 by scoring three runs in the top of the fourth.

With momentum shifted to the Skippers, inexperience in big games reared its head.

Starting pitcher Garrett Cannizaro walked the leadoff batter before getting a groundball out. He then walked the next batter, putting runners on first and second with one out. Airline centerfielder Matt Boydstun singled to load the bases before Cannizaro struck out Chase Hesson.

With the bases loaded and two outs, all Cannizaro needed was an infield grounder to end the inning without any damage.

He got his ground ball, but second baseman Remy Angelle’s toss to Cannizaro, who was covering first, missed the mark. The error allowed two runs to score, giving Airline a 6-4 lead, and runners at second and third.

Cannizaro again walked the bases loaded, and again needed a ground ball to end the inning.

Again he got the ground ball and again an error resulted in runs. This time, third-baseman Ross Hardy overthrew first base, sending the ball into the dugout, allowing two more runs to score.

Cannizaro finally got out of the inning, but the damage was done.

“It’s tough,” said Cannizaro, who picked up the loss after tossing five innings, giving up nine hits and eight runs while striking out eight.

“It’s 95 degrees and you’re working your butt off on the mound and getting out of a jam, you get a ground ball and it doesn’t happen.”

“It was big to come in in the bottom of the inning and get a couple back,” Airline head coach Toby Todd said. “Not that it was enough for breathing room, but it helps to answer. We didn’t win that inning, but we answered.”

Each team tacked on a run later in the game.

Mandeville was playing for the first time since surprising the state with a 7-6 win over No. 1-seed West Monroe in Monroe.

Friday marked the first time any member of this team had reached the state tournament round of the playoffs, and inexperience likely played a factor, Brown said.

“That plays a part in it,” Brown said. “Our kids were pretty loose last week when we played West Monroe. They were the big underdog. Today, we weren’t as loose. We were uptight because we were playing in the state tournament for the first time.”