Matt Vines

RAYNE – North DeSoto starting pitcher Caleb Roles battled Rayne effectively Thursday in the first game of a best-of-three series, but the Griffin bats couldn’t generate juice in a 3-0 loss.

The No. 9 seed Griffins (22-9) will fight for their playoffs lives Friday, playing the second game at 4 p.m. with an if-necessary game at 6:30 p.m.

Rayne collected three of their six hits in the first inning, and three singles led to a bases-loaded RBI groundout from Mark Frederick for the game’s first run.

Three of North DeSoto’s five hits came in the first two innings, but the Griffins couldn’t manufacture a run.

Blake McFerren singled in the first inning with Reni Mason and Brayden Toothman hitting singles in the second inning, but the Griffins couldn’t advance a runner past second base.

That was North DeSoto’s only runner in scoring position as Rayne pitcher Peyton Daigle worked around five hits (all singles) and one hit-by-pitch in seven innings.

Cole Cory and Trysten Hopper provide the other singles for North DeSoto.

After a single, a stolen base and ground out advanced Rayne’s Lon Paul Moody to third base, a Grant Simon line out increased the lead to 2-0 in the third inning.

Simon drove in Rayne’s third and final run in the fifth inning on another line out. Roles issued both of his walks to start the frame, and those runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball.