James, Huffman mow down Lady Cards in Game One
Published 9:21 pm Thursday, April 25, 2019
- Van Wade/Orange Leader Bridge City third baseman Caitlin Denison and Huffman’s Lindsey Gonzales await a pitch during the first inning Thursday night.
BRIDGE CITY – It was tough sledding for the Bridge City Lady Cardinals in Game One of their best-of-three Class 4A bidistrict playoff series against Huffman Thursday night at Lady Cardinal Field as Lady Falcon pitcher Katy James dominated from the get-go.
James tossed a complete-game no-hitter for Huffman (27-6-1) as she struck out 16 and walked just one to lead the Lady Falcons to a 8-0 victory.
Meanwhile, the Huffman offense got charged up as they picked up 13 hits off the Lady Cardinals (14-12-1).
The two teams will continue the series Saturday with Game Two at 5 p.m. at Huffman High School with Game Three, if necessary, to follow 30 minutes after Game Two.
James was in complete command and struck out 12 straight batters from the second inning through the fifth frame.
The Lady Cardinals did not reach base until Kyndall Harrison reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the sixth.
Bridge City got two runners on in the seventh when Natilee Reed drew a leadoff walk and Leah Jeffrey reached on an error but James finished it with a strikeout.
Madyson Melton started for the Lady Cardinals. She pitched the first three innings, allowing six hits with no strikeouts or walks.
Austyn Daniels hurled the final four frames, allowing seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
The Lady Falcons struck for a pair of runs in the top of the first off four hits.
Dez Cardenas, who was 3-for-5, opened the game with a single to left, got to second on a sac bunt and went to third on a wild pitch. She scored off a Hagan Pike slingle to left. James made it 2-0 with a RBi single up the middle.
Huffman scratched in two more runs in the top of the fourth.
Christin Haygood smashed a leadoff home run deep over the centerfield fence. Kenzie Gates followed with a single and eventually scored on a double to left by Cardenas.
The Lady Falcons added four runs in the top of the sixth.
Kyndel Berard led off with a single past second and Cardenas reached on a one-out error. Alli Humphries drove in Berard with a RBI double to left.
Pike, was 2-for-3 with four RBI, capped it with a three-run home run blast to dead-away centerfield to make it 8-0.
