Published: April 21, 2008 10:59 am            

Bears outslug Bulldogs, 10-6

LITTLE CYPRESS — MAURICEVILLE — Just like the first meeting between the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears and Nederland Bulldogs, Nederland jumped out with a two-run lead only to watch LC-M answer and win.

Down 2-0 in the bottom of the second, the Bears batted around the lineup, using five walks and four hits, including a grand slam from Stefan Leger that capped off an eight run inning.

LC-M went on to beat the Dogs 10-6 in Saturday afternoon's District 22-4A matchup.

With the win, the Bears end a three-game slide and improve to 21-6 overall and 8-4 in league play. With just two games to go, LC-M sits alone in the third and final playoff spot. Meanwhile, Nederland falls to 7-5 and is in a tie for fourth place with the Ozen Panthers.

The Bulldogs out hit LC-M 8-6 in the contest but left eight runners on base. On top of giving up a grand slam, Josh Dean, who suffered the loss by throwing just 1.1 innings and giving up six earned runs, and Ryan Sampere each issued four walks.

LC-M took full advantage of the free passes by scoring eight in the second and then adding two more on a two-run shot by Tim Berry in the fifth inning off Sampere.

After taking over for Dean, Sampere allowed two more runs, including Leger's four-banger, in the second. The senior right-hander did hold the Bears scoreless for the third and fourth innings, giving Nederland opportunities to crawl back in the ball game. Sampere gave up four earned runs in three innings of work.

"We just didn't pitch very well today," said Nederland head coach Cody Robbins. "We gave up too many walks and they just hit the ball hard. Dean didn't have his best stuff and that just happens sometimes."

With two outs in the third, Nederland responded with a two-run shot by Aaron McFarland that brought in Kirby Bellow. Bellow singled earlier in the inning.

Including the two-run job by McFarland, the senior designated-hitter and third baseman, doubled in the second and was 2-for-2 with two walks, two RBIs and two runs scored on the day.

McFarland's third inning homer put the score at 8-4. Then in the fourth inning, Nederland cut the game to 8-6 when Jordan Pitts hit a two-run jack over centerfield. Pitts homer brought in Trey Terracina who singled earlier in the inning.

The Bulldogs might have lost some of the wind in their sails after a lead-off walk to Jude Vidrine in the top of the fifth inning led to a goose egg on the scoreboard.

Vidrine was stranded at third as Nederland's next three batters went down on strikes.

Berry's homer in the bottom half of the fifth put the nail in the coffin, giving the Bears a 10-6 lead.

On top of his homer, Berry also singled in Matt Johnson and Wade Estes in the second inning to give LC-M a 3-2 lead. Berry was 2-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored.

All but two players in the Bears' lineup scored in the second inning. Leger was the first and last runs. He led the inning off with a single and later scored when Estes drew a walk with the bases loaded.

Phillip Richard, Berry, Chad Richard and Leger all scored on the grand slam. Both of the Richard's drew walks to set up Leger with a diamond full of Bears.

Dallas Brown got the win. He pitched 3.2 innings, giving up six earned runs on seven hits. Ben Jones relieved Brown for 2.1 innings of scoreless ball.

Jones started the seventh inning with back-to-back walks, however, which led head coach Steve Griffith to go to sophomore Shane Waddell for the final three outs.

Waddell came in with runners at first and second with nobody out but got Jude Vidrine to pop out to second, induced a ground ball from Anthony Babino and Terracina popped out to the pitcher's mound to end the game.

Griffith said the win was as big as any district win he has had in 15 years with LC-M.

"We've come out on top of some really hyped games before — games we played for first place — but this was one we had to have just to stay in third. I say that's a bigger deal," he said.

Griffith added his club is in control of its own destiny now.

"All we have to do is win these next two ball games," he said. "It's as simple as that, if we win the next two, we're in."

The Bears travel to Lumberton on Tuesday and then end the regular season with a showdown with second place Vidor (9-3). That game will be at Mauriceville. LC-M beat Vidor in the first district meeting.

Nederland needs two wins next week just to have a chance for a postseason berth. The Bulldogs are away for both of their games, playing at Dayton on Tuesday and at Lumberton on Friday.

For Nederland to get in the playoffs, it will need either Vidor to lose to both Ozen on Tuesday and LC-M on Friday, or will need LC-M to lose one of its final two games.

"We're still in this," said Robbins. "I thought our pitching was a little shaky today — sometimes that's just how it goes. We still have faith in our guys and don't think for a second we're going to lay down and not finish this season.

"We're going to take care of our business next week. After we get those two wins, we'll just see what happens with the other teams. I still think we're going to be in it (playoffs) when it's all said and done."

If three teams in a tie, a coin flip would decide which two teams would play for the third and final playoff spot. The team to lose the coin flip would be out of the picture altogether. If just two teams in a tie, there would be no coin flip and a play-in playoff game would take place on April 25th or 28th to decide the district's third place team.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.