BRIDGE CITY — A one-out bunt Rene Cunningham executed for a single drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as visiting Nederland stepped out of District 21-5A play and took a 5-4 win over Bridge City at Chuck Young Field on Tuesday.

Nederland (9-7-2), winner of six straight, won the rubber match over the District 22-4A Cardinals (12-6-2) for the season. Nederland won 7-4 in Jasper on March 8 and Bridge City won 5-4 in the Cardinal Classic on Feb. 22.

Bridge City sought a rally in the bottom of the eighth with a Logan Hamm single. A sacrifice bunt by Cameron Yadon moved Hamm to second, but Jacob Mares included a groundout and flyout to seal the win.

Mares struck out three and allowed an earned run on four hits in 3 2/3 innings. Starter Noah Gregory gave up three earned runs on four hits in three innings, and Kamden Grant came on to hold the Cards to a hit in 1 1/3 innings, but walked three.

Hamm suffered the loss despite striking out six. He allowed the winning run on four hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Nederland tagged four unearned runs on BC starter Sam Carpenter, who allowed three hits and fanned three in four innings. The Cards committed five errors to the Bulldogs’ one.

Jaxon Luna threw five pitches in one-third of an inning before Hamm came on.

Bridge City tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh with two outs. Cace Skinner singled to right field and advanced to second on a throw as Trevor Wilson scratched across the run.

The Cards evened the score at 3-3 with a three-run second, but Nederland took a 4-3 lead in the fifth.

Brock Holton went 2 for 4, and Landon Hiltz, Omar Mascorro, Cunningham, Corbin Chandler and Samuel Wille each had a hit for Nederland. Tanner Wilson went 3 for 3 to lead Bridge City, with Peyton Havard, Kade Benoit, Slade Foreman and Carpenter also hitting safely.

The Cardinals will visit WO-S in 22-4A action Friday.