By Marvin Pfeiffer
Contributing Writer

It was a tough week for the young Alamo Heights Mules baseball team.

An 8-6 loss to Fredericksburg on the road was followed up with a 7-2 loss to Boerne at home Friday, dropping the Mules into a tie for third place with Fredericksburg in the District 27-4A race.

Though somewhat stunned by the losses, the team is still alive in the race for a playoff spot.

The Mules actually played well against Boerne, matching the Greyhounds with seven hits and holding them scoreless on only one hit through the last four innings.

However, it was the third inning that did the Mules in. Pitcher Preston Whitley, battling some control problems, gave up two home runs, four walks and five runs in what turned out to be the fateful inning and the Mules were unable to overcome the deficit.

“We’re more than capable of coming back, but I think that pretty much put us down,” said Whitley, who struck out five and had two doubles in the game.

“We can’t dwell on this,” Whitley said. “We’re just going to go ahead and focus on what’s to come.”

What’s to come is a Tuesday game this week against Memorial and a Friday game against Kennedy. The Mules hope to win both and then finish up the district schedule at home against Tivy the following week.

Coach Stan Gideon, although disappointed with the losses, was still upbeat about his team’s chances.

“It’s a rough league and a rough game,” Gideon said. “You’ve got to be mentally tough and you’ve got to be willing to throw it out there. That’s what we keep talking about.”

“Our kids are playing well,” Gideon said. “By no stretch of the imagination are we out of anything. We’re a young group and we control our own destiny.”