BC/BH Game 3 Article from The Orange Leader

[Bobcatfan4life]

Cards Eliminate Barbers Hill

Jason Rollinson

The Orange Leader

BAYTOWN — With the Cardinals facing elimination, junior pitcher Jeff Stringer faced the inevitable task of taking the mound in the deciding Game 3 against Barbers Hill for his first-ever playoff start.

In the end, Stringer recorded another ‘first-ever’ feat by hurling his first career no-hitter as four Bridge City home runs helped blast the Eagles 8-2 in Class 3A Region III quarterfinal action at Baytown Lee High School.

The Cardinals (30-5), who ran their five-game playoff total to 14 team long-balls, stay on track to defend their regional title by advancing to the regional semifinals against either Columbus or Hutto. The two teams played Game 3 late Saturday, and playoff arrangements are expected to be made soon with the winner.

“Of course, we’re more familiar with Columbus,†said BC coach Billy Bryant, speaking of his team’s sweep over the Cardinals in the same round 2-0 and 5-4 at Barbers Hill and Spring Westfield. “But, of course we’ll be ready for Hutto also.â€

The left-handed Stringer battled a Barbers Hill lineup that torched the Cards in Game 2 on Friday, 10-0, and despite walking four, hitting a batter and having three batters reach on a fielder errors, hung in there to complete the game with nine strikeouts.

“Stringer really came through in the clutch,†said Bryant. “He did everything that we could’ve hoped for. He’s had a good year when he’s gotten to pitch. When you play to win two out of three in a series, usually the No. 3 and No. 4 pitchers see time on the mound.â€

His nod comes a day after No. 2 pitcher Broc Haymon lasted just an inning in Game 2, and sophomore Phillip Meeks was called upon to stop the bleeding and finished the abbreviated game.

“With two seniors (speaking of Kevin Angelle and Haymon) pitching the majority of the innings, Jeff showed that he belongs with the others and came through when we needed him today.â€

Sophomore catcher Casey Jackson played like an upper-classman by smacking a pair of home runs to run his total to 10, which he shares with Johnny Dishon. Dishon hit a solo home run in the sixth to pull even with Jackson, who also added a single to finish 3-for-4 with three runs-batted in.

“Casey’s a fine ballplayer and a strong kid,†said Bryant. “He’s really come on this year and made solid contact today. Johnny picked himself up (after striking out three times in a row) to get him a homer. Sometimes when you get in a slump, you’ve got to keep swinging.â€

Cody Sparks also connected on his third home run of the year, a solo shot to lead off the third.

Barbers Hill junior Chase Barrera took the loss, lasting just two and one-third innings and allowing four hits and four runs while walking three and hitting three and striking out four. Bailey Glandt pitched an inning of relief and allowed two runs on two hits, but Octavio Carmona finished the game with two and two-thirds innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four.

The Cardinals broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the first by taking advantage of a BH miscue. With one out, Troy Bolton was hit by a Barrera pitch and stole second. Dishon struck out swinging for the second out, and Kevin Angelle walked to put runners at first and second.

Sparks lifted a high fly-ball to second base, but it was lost in the sun by shortstop Michael Padgett, and Bolton easily scored on the play to make it 1-0.

Barbers Hill (26-7) had a chance to tie it in the top of the second when Padgett reached on a one-out fielding error and took second and third bases on a steal and passed ball respectively. Stringer struck out Derek Hulsey for the second out, and after Jake Ponder drew a walk to put runners on the corners, the BC hurler spoiled an attempted squeeze play at the plate by getting Ross Hales to go down swinging on strikes.

The Cards tacked on another run in the bottom half of the second when A.J. Hecker led off by taking a pitch on his cleat and moved over to second after Brett Day walked. Rory Scales loaded the bases when he laid down a perfect bunt down the first base line and beat the throw out, and Barrera lost control when he walked in a run on five pitches to Derrick Coleman. However, Barrera struck out the next three Cardinal sluggers and BC left the bases loaded.

Sparks sailed the second pitch he saw from Barrera over the left field wall, and Jackson immediately followed by scorching the first-pitch over the green monster in center for back-to-back shots.

BC loaded the bases again when Day sliced a one-out single to right. Scales was hit by a pitch and Glandt entered the game in relief. After Coleman flew out to left for the second out, Bolton reached safely on a throwing error on a forceout up the middle; however, Dishon was frozen on a full-count and the scoring threat ended with the Cards leaving the bases jammed for the second-straight inning.

Angelle led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to the left-center gap, and after Sparks struck out for the first out, Jackson got a hold of one to deep right for a two-run blast, his second of the game.

“The wind was blowing out, but this was a pretty big field,†said Bryant. “The guys that hit home runs made good contact. Casey’s second home run was really a shot (to rightfield).â€

Stringer appeared to have preserved his shutout through six innings, but a throwing error on a groundball back to the pitcher sailed into right field, scoring Cameron Campbell, who had walked and took second on a passed ball.

The Cards got the run back in the bottom of the sixth when Dishon roped the first pitch he saw from Carmona over the center-field wall. After one out, Sparks drew a walk and Jackson followed with a single through the right side. Both runners advanced an extra 90 feet on a passed ball by Campbell and Sparks scored his second run of the game on a wild pitch to pad the lead to 8-1.

BH fell unsuccessful to tie the game in the top of the seventh. Hales was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and replaced on the bases by pinch runner Tony Carmona. Dewayne Matthews, pinch-hitting for designated hitter John Loranger, drew a walk and reached second safely on the next at-bat when a throw by Hecker pulled the second baseman off the bag on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Barrera.

With the bases full of Eagles, Townley cracked a fly ball into left-field foul territory that was snagged by Sparks, but Carmona touched home to make it 8-2. Stringer finished off BH by getting Octavio Carmona to strike out looking and inducing a fly ball by Campbell to deep center that was hauled in by Dishon.

“I was ready for the opponent and knew it was my turn to shine,†said an elated Stringer. “It’s an exciting chance to win and makes me pretty confident about it.â€

In other Class 3A playoff action, Lufkin Hudson held on for a 9-8 win over Huffman and will meet Cameron Yoe, a 10-2 winner in a single-game playoff against Gatesville, in the other regional semifinal. Defending 3A champion Carthage pulled even in a best-of-3 series with Texarkana Liberty-Eylau with a 5-4 win in eight innings Friday, and the two teams faced off Saturday afternoon.

“This is probably the most pressure that we’ve felt all year long,†said Bryant. “To beat a good team like Barbers Hill with the season on the line gives us confidence, but the teams only get better from here on out. There’s just 16 teams (in 3A) left in the state after today.â€