Lady Cards win 21-3A crown

Gabriel Pruett
The Orange Leader

BRIDGE CITY Sat, May 17 2008

— It might have taken a few more games, if not weeks, for the Bridge City Lady Cardinals yet they still found a way to win the District 21-3A championship.
After two losses, the Lady Cardinals are now working on a new district winning streak after taking down the West Orange-Stark Lady Mustangs, 3-1.
Getting two runs off an error with two outs in the bottom of the fifth proved to be very pivotal for Bridge City (12-2) who got a strong outing from senior Shandi Connor on Senior Night.Connor needed 80 pitches for the win and gave up just one hit to go with two walks and five strike outs.
Connor’s counterpart, Rebekah Ragsdale, went a full six innings and hurled four strike outs with four walks to go on two hits.
The two runs in the bottom of the fifth started as Jenna Angelle got on first on a WO-S error.
Jenna Angelle took second on a stolen base and moved to third on a wild pitch.
Catcher Emily Kosh drew a walk and Jessica Franklin, courtesy runner for Kosh, took second on a stolen base.
Valerie Brown then delievered as she was able to advance all the way to second on an error which gave Jenna Angelle and Franklin plenty of time to make it 3-0.
“It feels great to win district again,” Jenna Angelle said. “We had our two losses and we overcame them. Thursday we had a talk with our whole team and we all told how we felt about everything. We said what we needed to come out to do and we did it. I am very proud of this team. We stayed together this whole time and were able to pull through.”
The Lady Mustangs (10-) made it interesting in the top of the seventh as Ragsdale led off with a solo home run on a 1-0 pitch which flew far over the left field fence.
After an out, Amanda Villasen then reached on an error and Lauryn Windham followed with a walk.
The two runners advanced to second and third when Kelli Bilbo grounded out to Lauren Angelle at shortstop.
Connor then ended the night with a strike out.
“I believed in these girls more all year than they probably believe in themselves,” Bridge City Coach Sophie Mount said. “The two losses made us realize that we are human. I told the girls that if the two losses help us go farther in the playoffs than Bridge City has ever gone — it was worth it.”
Connor got the Lady Cardinals going in the bottom of the second when she led off reaching second on a two-base error.
Courtesy runner Alex Holland, in for Connor, came around to score as Bria Thibodeaux came up with a RBI bunt that rolled all the way to the shallow infield to make it 1-0.