WHITNEY — Temple and Mesquite Horn each were anxious to get a leg up on the other as they opened their Class 6A Division I bi-district playoff series Wednesday night.

They traded blows in a slow-moving first inning then had to wait nearly 2 hours to settle the rest of it. In the end, the Jaguars got the better of the Wildcats following a lengthy lightning delay, using a persistent offensive attack to pull away for an 11-4 victory that lasted deep into the night at Wildcat Field.

Horn (20-11) gave itself a chance to end the series tonight as it grabbed its fourth win in the last five games. The teams will meet for Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. today in Glen Rose.

Malachi Youngblood (2-for-3) had a pair of extra-base hits — one double and one triple — to lead a group of five players that went for multiple hits for the Jaguars, who scored at least two runs in four innings as they led from the second inning onward.