BC starts up baseball season

[KFDM COOP]

BC starts up baseball season

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

BRIDGE CITY — The first swings and pitches were on display Monday at Cardinal Field as Bridge City took to the diamond for the first time since last year’s march to the state tournament.

In fact, the last two seasons have ended with the Cardinals, who come into the season ranked No. 15 by Inside Prep Baseball Magazine, earning state semifinalist honors.

With such a long run in each of the last two seasons, Coach Billy Bryant can almost not believe his Redbirds were back at it again so soon.

“It doesn’t even seem like yesterday that last season was ending,†Bryant said. “This will be a hectic first week with us going through tryouts and seeing where we stand to start the season.â€

Bryant and Co. will lean heavily on two stand-out recruits who have already committed to top-caliber colleges.

Center fielder Johnny Dishon is headed to Louisiana State University while left-handed pitcher Jeff Stringer is on his way to Lamar University after his senior year.

Dishon batted .422 his junior campaign with nine homers and 41 RBI.

Stringer put up an impressive 6-0 mark last year with the Cardinals with a 2.58 ERA in 35.1 innings to go with 51 strikeouts.

Even after losing a lot of talent from last year’s squad, the Cardinals will still carry around high expectations.

For two years straight the Cardinals have not dropped a District 21-3A game and have been knocked out of the state tournament by the eventual state champion.

Last year it was Liberty Eylau and the year before it was Carthage.

“With the success we have had the last two years, I hope the kids have the expectations to do it again,†Bryant said. “It is an ongoing battle to improve your program. Our No. 1 goal is to go as far in the playoffs as our talent will allow us to go. If we feel at the end of our run we did that then the season will be a success.â€

The Cardinals will scrimmage at Lufkin Hudson next Tuesday before the same team comes to Bridge City on Feb. 9.

Bridge City’s first real action will come Feb. 22-24 when it travels to the Lufkin Hudson Tournament.

The Cardinals will compete in the Nederland Tournament March 1-3 before opening district play up against playoff-ready Silsbee on March 6.

One of the highlights each year for the Cardinals will be from March 8-10 with the Bridge City Tournament taking place.

“Six of the eight teams in this district were in the playoffs last year with the new teams that came in,†Bryant said. “There is going to be some tough competition and we are going to do what it takes to get our kids ready. We had 60 kids come tryout and we are going to have to make a judgment on which kids to keep.

“You are limited with time so we are going to look for kids who have potential, a desire to learn and the willingness to hustle. We don’t have as many experienced players back like we have had over the last three years but I think we have enough guys that I think we are in good shape to compete.â€

[hfaninthestands]

good luck to BC with their season 

[JSINGLE22]

Good Luck Bc i hope i see you guys win it,