By Rhett Manuel

Sports Correspondent

For six innings, the Eunice Blue Jay bats were dead silent.

Meanwhile, the Opelousas Indians allowed the Blue Jays every opportunity to stay in the game in the same time period, stranding base runners in each inning.

Down 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Blue Jays tacked two runs on the board to push the matchup into extra frames before eventually falling 4-3 to the Indians in a nine-inning battle.

The Blue Jays took the early lead when Edward Turk’s double scored Blue Jay Tyler McGee for a 1-0 first-inning advantage.

It would be the only runs for a while, due to a brilliant performance by Indian starter Dustin Ardoin.

The Indian pitcher earned the hard fought win, tossing a complete game in which he scattered eight hits, struck out eight Blue Jay hitters, and walked only two batters.

The loss went to Blue Jay relief pitcher Edward Turk, despite a solid performance. He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits, striking out seven and walking two.

Both the efforts of Turk and Blue Jay starter Austin Cooper allowed the Jays to stay in a position to win the game, as they made sure most of their base runners allowed didn’t cross home plate.

The Indians banged out 11 hits in the game, but also stranded 11 baserunners.

The Blue Jay bats came alive in a 2-run seventh, spearheaded by Ryan Johnson’s 2-RBI double, scoring Trevor Hargroder and Turk.

The Blue Jays continued to threaten, with a hit from Dillon Brown and a walk by Taylor Wallett. However, a double play killed the rally, pushing the game to extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth, the Indians pushed the go-ahead run across via a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth.

The Jays battled with one out singles by Wesley Chachere and Taylor Eval putting the winning runs on base.

However, the Indian first baseman made an impressive play on a scorcher off the bat of Wallett, then touched the bag, turning an unassisted double play to end the game.

With the loss, the Eunice Blue Jays drop to 4-4 in district play.

The Crowley Millers travel into town to play the Blue Jays 7 p.m. today at North Park.