T.P Loftus (left) covers second base and watches as Mules shortstop Danny Yancelson throws out Burbank's Mike Gomez at first base to end the fourth inning. The Mules went on to win 10-9 in eight innings to win the series against Burbank. Photo by Marvin Pfeiffer

Alamo Heights shortstop Danny Yancelson only had one thing on his mind when he stepped to the plate in the eighth inning against Burbank with the score tied at 9-9.

“I just wanted to hit the ball as hard and I could and try to get the run in,” Yancelson said.

Mission accomplished!

Yancelson, who went four-for-five at the plate for the game, lined his second double of the day to left-center field, scoring Luke Maloy in what proved to be the game-winning play. Yancelson’s monster day included three RBI’s, two runs scored, two steals and several stellar defensive plays in the field.

Mundo Sanchez, who picked up the win in the opener on Friday night, closed out the Bulldogs in the bottom of the eighth to preserve the lead and racked up his second win in as many days to raise his season record to 10-3.

It was an important win for the young Mules team, and the three seniors on the team led the way. Yancelson, Sanchez and Danny Rodriguez all played key roles in leading the Mules to their 20th win of the season.

“It’s good. It’s good,” said coach Stan Gideon of the win. “We have three seniors and they all played huge parts in this game. And the young kids played well too.”

Gideon apparently knew what he was doing when he pulled Sanchez in the fifth inning of the first game on Friday and replaced him with Luke Maloy. The team was up 9-0 on the Bulldogs and Sanchez had a no-hitter going. He knew that he just might need Sanchez down the line in this series and he was right.

Although the Mules jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead in the top of the third inning Saturday, the Mules pitching weakened and Burbank started to come to life.

In came Sanchez to retire six straight batters in the fifth and six innings to help squelch the Bulldog rally. Burbank was able to tie the game in the eighth, but Sanchez mustered enough fight to take down the last four batters he faced and gain the victory.

“It was tough,” Sanchez said of having to pitch in back-to-back games. “My arm was kind of dead at that point (eighth inning). Two innings is all I had in me, but I just kind of pushed through it.”

The Mules had 15 hits in the second game and put up 23 runs against the Bulldogs in the series.

“They were fortunate that we only had 15 hits, because we attacked for most of the game,” Gideon said. “But we’re fortunate and glad to be playing for another week.”

The Mules now face District 25-4A champion Lake Travis (24-7) this week in another best-of-three series. After a Wednesday game at Lake Travis, they’ll return to the Mule Yard for the second game at 7 p.m. on Friday and a 3 p.m. if-necessary game Saturday.

They defeated the Lake Travis Cavaliers in last year’s area round and hope to do the same once again.

“We’re going to try to do what we did last year,” Sanchez said. “Go as far as we can. I mean we’re seniors, and we don’t want to stop playing. For some of us, it might be our last game, so we want to keep it going as long as possible.”

“We weren’t going to give up,” Rodriguez said. “We wanted another week of baseball and so we’re ready and prepared for next week. We’re going to be ready at practice starting Monday and just go from there. Hopefully next week is as good as this week!”