Lady Cardinals cruise past Jasper in bidistrict

Published 10:39 pm Thursday, April 27, 2017

JASPER – It was pretty much clear sailing for the District 22-4A champion Bridge City Lady Cardinals Thursday night as they took down the Jasper Lady Bulldogs 6-1 in the Class 4A Region III bidistrict playoffs at Lady Bulldog Field.
Junior Kassidy Wilbur had another dominant effort on the mound and at the plate for the Lady Cardinals.
Wilbur allowed just two hits while striking out 14 and walking two.
The Lady Cardinals will now move on to face the Liberty Lady Panthers in the area round next week.
The Lady Cardinals defeated Jasper 4-2 in tournament play earlier this season.
“We were familiar with Jasper coming in,” said Lady Cardinal coach Kayla Gallardo. “We felt like we could come in and manufacture some runs and we were able to do that. It’s always a great feeling when you can get that first playoff win under your belt.”
One of the hits Wilbur allowed was a solo home run by Lady Bulldog centerfield Britney Scott that tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
However, Wilbur didn’t get mad, she just got even when she sent a pitch by Jasper starter Lanni Segrest deep over the centerfield wall for a three-run homer in the top of the sixth. Wilbur finished 3-for-4 and scored three times.
“That home run (by Scott) didn’t phase Kassidy at all,” said Gallardo. “She’s such a competitor and every now and then you’re bound to give up one. I’d say she answered it pretty well with that big shot she hit.”
Lady Cardinal third baseman Natalie Reed had a solid outing as well, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Reed, who has been the Lady Cardinal designated hitter for most of the season, started at third due to the Lady Cardinals losing outstanding third baseman Caitlin Denison. Denison, who had hit and fielded so well throughout the season, broke her ankle running to third in Bridge City’s last district game against Hamshire-Fannett.
“Natalie has hit the ball well for us all year as the DP and she is more than capable of playing at third,” said Gallardo. “She had a great game tonight.”
Segrest tossed all seven innings for the Lady Bulldogs and allowed 10 hits while striking out six and walking two.
The Lady Cardinals scratched in a run in the top of the first inning.
Wilbur led off the game with a single up the middle and Kyndall Harrison would reach on an error. Reed made it 1-0 with a RBI groundout.
Scott evened things up in the fourth when she ripped a Wilbur offering over the centerfield wall.
The Lady Cardinals manufactured a pair of runs in the top of the fifth and went up to stay.
Wilbur roped a one-out single past third and moved all the way to third after a nice Harrison sacrifice bunt. Reed promptly slapped a RBI single to left to plate Wilbur and Aleah McClanahan brought home Reed with a RBI to right field.
The Lady Cardinals got some insurance in the sixth. Jaylynn Burch had a leadoff single to right center and moved to second off a sacrifice bunt by Summer Black. Abby Anderson, who was 2-for-3, stroked a double to left and WIlbur, with two outs, let loose on a Segrest offering that cleared the fence in dead-center.
Anderson had a single for the Lady Cardinals in the second inning and Megan Sourdellia had a single in the fourth.
Tkila Brooks had a leadoff double for the Lady Bulldogs in the bottom of the sixth but was left stranded.