By Caleb Adams

Leader Correspondent

 

BRIDGE CITY — The Bridge City Cardinals beat the Splendora Wildcats 7-2 to sweep their Class 4A Region III bidistrict playoff series at Chuck Young Field in Bridge City.

Logan Hamm would get the start for the Cardinals in game two. Hamm had a shaky first inning, giving up an early run, but was able to sneak his way out. That would become familiar as he would find himself with runners in scoring position with two outs, needing and getting the clutch outs over and over. He was also able to keep his pitch count relatively low with the amount of hits given up. Hamm would finish after five innings, allowing seven hits, one run, a walk, two strikeouts and the win for the team.

Tanner Wilson would lead the Cardinals (20-9-2) with hitting knocking in three RBI’s, two singles, a double and a stolen base for the night. Hitting in the two hole, it seemed like Wilson always had Slade Foreman or Hamm to bring around the bases. Wilson’s hitting was a key cog for the Cardinal hitting machine.

The Wildcats (11-10-1) offense opened up with a quick first run. Jagger Kennedy and Carson McKenna led off with back to back singles, Kennedy would advance to third after a bobbled ball. Orlando Moreno hit a high sacrifice fly to center to score Kennedy in the next at bat. That’s all they would find as Hamm pitched his way out of a slippery situation, leaving a runner in scoring position.

The Cardinals responded in the bottom of the first with some offense of their own. Much like the Wildcats, the Cardinals led off with back to back singles from Hamm and Tanner Wilson. Hamm would steal second and get pushed to third on Wilson’s hit. Peyton Havard would knock a grounder to shortstop and score Hamm from third base. That’s all they would find as the Cards tied it up at 1-1 after the first inning was done.

Wilson broke open the game for the Cardinals. In the bottom of the third both Foreman and Hamm walked to lead off, Foreman would steal second and took third on a wild pitch while Hamm stole second as well. Wilson connected on a pitch over the plate and rocketed it to the left field corner, scoring Hamm and Foreman, clearing the bases as the Cardinals grabbed a 3-1 cushion.

Foreman delivered for the Cardinals a second time with runners in position. Foreman drew a walk with two outs to start. Hamm singled and moved Foreman to third base. Wilson hit a shot up the middle to score Foreman easily from third to extend the lead to 4-1,

The Cardinals scored more insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth. Jackson Tims hit a two out single to keep the inning alive. Jaxon Bernard hit a slow roller to third, but after a wild throw to first, Tims was able to round third and head home for the Cardinals fifth run.

Bridge City was gifted another run thanks to a wild pitch. After walking the bases loaded, Foreman, Wilson and Havard sat on the bases. With Sam Carpenter up to bat, a wild pitch sent Foreman home, scoring his second run of the game. Carpenter would hit a soft grounder scoring Wilson from third, building the cushion for the Cardinals even further to 7-1.

The Wildcats would score another run in the top of the seventh inning, but nothing more. Bridge City would put a bow on this game, not being threatened on the scoreboard since the third inning after they took the lead.

The Cardinals will now move on to the area round next week when they will face last year’s state finalist Sweeny, who blitzed Houston Scarborough 17-0 in a one-game battle.

On Thursday, after battling the elements of lightning and heavy rain, the Cardinals prevailed over the Wildcats 8-2 in Game One at Humble High School.

Payton Havard worked all seven innings on the hill for the Cardinals as he scattered five hits while fanning five Wildcats.

Havard also sparked an 11-hit Cardinal attack with two hits and also drove in a run.

Cace Skinner and Trevor Kimbell also had RBIs for the Cardinals.