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NEDERLAND — The Nederland baseball team is not discouraged after losing 14-4 to Port Neches-Groves in the district opener Tuesday, Bulldogs’ head coach Bryan Spell said.

The two teams meet again at 2:30 p.m. today at Nederland High School.

“We just made some mistakes that we hadn’t made all year,” Spell said. “It has kind of been an up-and-down season for us. We have had some good. We have had some bad, and we have had some ugly. Tuesday was on the ugly end of it.”

The Bulldogs are 6-3 on the season with hopes of getting their first district win Friday. Spell said playing the same team twice in one week allows for the possibility of fast relief after a loss.

“We’ve bounced back after we play poorly and we are going to try and do the same thing this week,” Spell said. “We went to this format a couple of years ago. Baseball is built to where it needs to be a series. It can be an advantage or a disadvantage. Hopefully, we can put Tuesday night behind us and play with a little bit of confidence (Friday).”

The Bulldogs allowed 15 hits Tuesday. An eight-run sixth inning ended the game.

“We just have to overall make them earn everything that they get,” Spell said. “They are talented enough that if they get a couple of outs, they will take advantage of it. We just have to make them earn every base runner that they get. They get a base hit here and there and then they put up a big number.”

Spell said the one bright side from the loss was the way his team hit against PNG pitcher Thomas Reinholt.

“He was as good as advertised,” Spell said of the pitcher. “I thought our kids competed really well at the plate. We had a couple of opportunities to score a couple more runs, but the way we competed offensively will give us a chance Friday afternoon. I think Brent Gomez did well. He was our first hit and had a big double. And being left handed, you get a better look at the breaking stuff. We had a couple of guys that had some pretty good at-bats.”

For the Bulldogs to come out on top in the next matchup, Nederland will have to have more contributors, Spell said.

“We have to string it together,” he said. “Baseball is a deal where one guy can’t carry you. You have to have a lineup full of nine that can do it. Hopefully, we can string together a few more (Friday).”