Sweeny nips Cardinals in tight Game One
Published 8:45 pm Friday, May 10, 2019
SWEENY – The Sweeny Bulldogs squeezed past the Bridge City Cardinals 2-1 in Game One of their best-of-three Class 4A Region III bidistrict playoff series at Sweeny High School Friday night.
It was definitely a nice pitcher’s duel between Sweeny senior and Texas A&M signee Caden Homniok and Bridge City junior standout Peyton Havard.
Sweeny (23-7) managed to get a couple infield single runs batted in and then held off a late seventh inning rally by the Cardinals (20-10-2).
Game Two of the series is slated for Chuck Young Field at Bridge City High School Saturday at 4 p.m. with Game Three to follow if necessary.
Homniok worked 6 1/3 innings before getting into trouble in the top of the seventh. He allowed four hits while striking out eight and walking two.
Havard shined as well as he scattered six hits while fanning five and walking one.
The Bulldogs scored a run in the bottom of the fourth. Wes Folse slapped a leadoff single past short and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Quinton Martin. With two outs Blake Benavides beat a throw out for an infield hit as Folse raced in to score.
Sweeny tacked on their second run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Braden Norris roped a leadoff single and Cord Filipp hit into a one-out fielder’s choice to force Norris out at second. However, Filipp advanced to second and third on a passed ball and wild pitch. He scored when Homniok reached on an infield hit with Filipp coming in to score.
The Cardinals made a run at the Bulldogs in the top of the seventh.
Sam Carpenter drew a leadoff walk and with one out Jackson Tims reached when he slapped one to Homniok on the mound, who tried to get the out at second but overthrew it as both runners were safe. Trevor Kimbell promptly slapped a deep RBI single to trim the margin to 2-1. Homniok was lifted for reliever Jackson Kiddy, who managed to get the final two outs.
Tanner Wilson led the Cardinals with two hits, including a double.
The winner of the BC-Sweeny series will face either Liberty or Columbia in the regional quarterfinals next week.
