KFDM COOP Posted March 7, 2009 Report Posted March 7, 2009 Cardinals top Bruins for Bulldog Classic Cody Pastorella The Orange Leader NEDERLAND — Bridge City's Grant Encalade smashed a game-winning, three-run double into left field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Bulldog Classic championship matchup against West Brook on Saturday afternoon to give the Cardinals an 8-7 victory. After the Bruins took a 5-0 lead in the first inning, the Cardinals responded with two runs in the second and three more in the third to tie the game at 5-5. Bridge City would not score another run until the seventh inning. In that final inning, Blake Hubbard made it to first on a fielder's choice. Then with two outs, Hubbard moved to third off a single by Anthony Cessac and then Dustin Breaux drew a walk to load the bases for Encalade. Matt Hicks, who pitched just the top half of the seventh, picked up the win. He allowed two infield hits, walked a batter, allowed one run and struck out two in his one inning of work. Before the final inning, BC had scored five runs on four hits and just one of those runs were earned. That run came in the third inning when Blake Snyder plated Jarred Raggio on a fielder's choice. Raggio was running for Dylan Mulhollan who singled to start the inning. Mulhollan was 2-for-4 and the only Cardinal batter with two hits. Bridge City had six hits to WB's five. After the Bruins ripped Bridge City for five runs with one out in the first, Daniel Wallace took the hill for the next 5.2 innings for the Cardinals. Wallace allowed just one run and one hit in that time. Four of WB's five runs in the first inning were earned. The Bruins scored those runs on two hits, an error and three walks, which is what got starting pitcher Eric Matthews in so much trouble. Then WB's Lawerence Kuykendall scorched a double into the leftfield gap that scored two runs, giving the Bruins a 3-0 lead. Matthews was reliefed after facing Kuykendall, who later scored along with Will Henderson. With the victory, Bridge City improves to 8-2-1 overall this season and earned the 2009 Bulldog Classic championship by posting a weekend-best 3-1 record. Their only loss came by the hands of host Nederland, which also came-from-behind to overthrow Westside 8-7 in the consolation game on Saturday afternoon. Just like in Bridge City’s game, the Bulldogs trailed 7-5 going into the bottom half of the seventh. Nederland scratched for one run and then with two outs and the bases loaded, Jordan Pitts ripped a pitch right back through the box for a game-winning, two-run single that scored Jude Vidrine from third and Trevin Sonnier from second. Stephen Schlett, who started the seventh with a double, scored the Bulldogs sixth run on a Westside fielding error. With the win, Nederland improved to 2-2 in the tournament and 4-6 overall. The Bulldogs will not be back in action until Friday when they play CyFalls and Clements in the Deer Park Tournament. Bridge City, meanwhile, will host Little Cypress-Mauriceville for its next game.
Cardinal Supporter Posted March 7, 2009 Report Posted March 7, 2009 Way to go BC. Comming from behind to beat WB was very good. WB is a very good team.
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