By Caleb Adams

Leader Correspondent

 

BRIDGE CITY—The Bridge City Cardinals beat the Nederland Bulldogs 5-4 in what was the Cardinals’ third win in a row at the Chuck Young Tournament on their home turf.

Bridge City jumped to a early lead, scoring at least one run in every inning they hit. Two runs came from bombs to left center from Sam Carpenter and Peyton Havard. The majority of the Cards offense came from good baserunning and small ball. It really allowed them to turnover the lineup faster than normal and get more at bats in.

Nederland struggled offensively until their final two frames, scoring two in each of those. Two of those runs came from wild pitches and errors, but the Bulldogs were taking what they could get.

Neither team had a stellar pitcher dominating the game, but Slade Foreman was able to keep the Bulldogs at bay until he was relieved in the fifth inning. Foreman went four and a third innings with three strikeouts, allowing four hits and two earned runs. He was able to stem the bleeding multiple times when the Bulldogs threatened with runners on, by creating grounders and easy outs for his defense.

The Cardinals didn’t take any time to find their offense it his game. Jackson Tims started the scoring with a big single down the right field line for the Cardinals. Tims would drive in Sam Carpenter and Slade Foreman, Foreman reached on a single and Carpenter took a ball to the leg to get on base. After the first inning the Cardinals led the Bulldogs 2-0.

Peyton Havard is the first batter in the third, but that didn’t stop him from driving in a run, himself. Havard took a pitch over the middle, deep to left center for a home run, for the third run of the game for the Cards. They would threaten with another runner on third in the inning, but the Bulldogs were able to manage the bleeding as the Cardinals were up 3-0 on the Bulldogs in the top of the third.

Carpenter didn’t want Havard to be alone on the home run train, so he put one right where Havard did an inning before. After three complete, the Cardinals led 4-0 over the Bulldogs, who had mustered just one hit so far.

The Bulldogs struck back with their first runs of the game in the top of the fourth. A double from Brian Devila would start the rally, Landen Hiltz found himself on base after an error. The next batter Logan Wright reached on an error and a run came in on the play. Pitcher Slade Foreman created a double play and a key strikeout to stem the bleeding. After three and a half innings the Cards still led 4-2.

Bridge City padded the lead with an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth. The Cardinals managed to get the bases loaded, thanks to a couple hits, including Cameron Yadon who led off with a hard double to left-center. The Bulldogs found themselves in deep trouble when they walked in a run and the bases were still loaded. Luckily for the Bulldogs Tims hit a hard liner straight to first base for an easy out. Bridge City led 5-2 after four complete innings.

The Bulldogs got runners on early and took advantage, bringing the score within one run. Samuel Willie would get a single to lead off and Rene Cunningham would find purchase with a good bunt. After a couple wild pitches and a sac hit, the Bulldogs scored both runs to make the last couple of innings very interesting.

Bridge City would hang on to win by one run as the Bulldogs threatened late in the sixth and fifth innings. With just one day left to play the Cardinals are looking to sweep their own tournament.