The Riverside Academy baseball team had a rocky start to its Class 1A quarterfinal playoff game on Thursday, and an even tougher end.

The team was only about 40 minutes into its four and a half hour trip to Minden, La., to face No. 3 seed Glenbrook (24-8) when its chartered limo bus blew a back tire. No one was injured and the bus was able to safely pull off the road.  After a nearly 90 minute delay, the team had to switch to a school bus for the rest of the journey. Then things got really rough.

The Rebels managed only three hits against Apache ace Hayden Harmon, who struck out 11 and pitched a complete game shutout to hand Riverside a 5-0 loss.  Eighth grader Cameron Matt had two of those hits; eighth grader Brody Vicknair had the other. Senior pitcher Luke Hymel started and took the loss for Riverside, allowing three runs on three hits. Freshman Ayden Bullock pitched the final three and two-third innings.

Riverside, the No. 11 seed, finished with a record of 20-10-1. Just two season ago the team was 9-21. The team graduates three seniors, Hymel, Dane Delaneuville and Thomas Mazzella IV.