The Vincent High School baseball team entered a one-game playoff with Shades Mountain Christian at Chelsea High School with only two seniors, a bevy of underclassmen and a couple of middle school players on its roster.

The youth caught up to the Yellow Jackets in their final game of the season April 10 in a 5-3 loss to Shades Mountain.

Despite the young roster, the Yellow Jackets (6-14) just missed making an appearance in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 2A playoffs.

“It’s a good learning experience for several of the players,” said Vincent coach Dwight Spradley. “We’ve got some growing pains.”

Vincent senior Brett Frizzell kept the Yellow Jackets in the game with a strong outing on the mound.

Frizzell scattered five runs over seven innings and allowed only one earned run. Frizzell gave up seven hits with nine strikeouts and three walks in a complete game.

“Brett threw the ball well,” Spradley said.

Frizzell and fellow senior Collin Spradley struggled at the plate, however. The Yellow Jackets’ senior duo finished 0-for-7 with three strikeouts.

Junior Scott Wallace led Vincent at the plate as he finished 2-for-3 with two singles and drove in two runs.

Brantley McClendon, Chase Howard, Judd Moore and Jackson Garrett recorded one hit each.

McClendon, Garrett and Brandon Knox scored a run each.

After falling behind 2-0, Vincent rallied in the bottom of the third inning to briefly take a 3-2 lead.

Garrett led off with a single. Knox moved him to second with a walk. McClendon moved both runners over with a bunt single and Saunders scored on a passed ball.

Wallace drove in McClendon and Knox with a two-run single to cap the scoring for the Yellow Jackets.

Vincent opened the bottom of the seventh inning with Moore being hit by a pitch, but the next three batters were retired to end the game.