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By Caleb Adams

Orange Leader

BRIDGE CITY – The Bridge City Cardinals fell to the Buna Cougars 15-1 on Tuesday night at Chuck Young Field in Bridge City.

The Cardinals (3-2) really struggled on both offense and defense against the Cougars. The biggest issue was all the unforced runs the Cardinals gave up. The sixth inning really put this game away for the Cougars. Buna found five runs with three hits, two walks and two errors.

One of the main issues the Cardinals faced was all the errors they committed throughout the game. They totaled seven errors through the night with a few wild pitches thrown in there to account for some of the runs the Cougars got.

Offensively the Cougars excelled, and few players stood out with their sticks throughout the game. Peyton Leon would go 2-4 with a home run and a single with four RBI’s. Kale Knox would go 3-5 with a home run, single and double with three RBI’s. Reid Pollard also had a good night, going 2-5 with a home run and a double with two RBI’s. The whole lineup did well for them, but those players really stood out this game.

The Cougars strike first in the top of the first inning. Dylan Graffagnino got a single with one out, and Kale Knox would follow up with a single to put them on second and third. Reid Pollard would reach on an error from the Cardinals and score Graffagnino from third. The Cougars led 1-0 after the first half inning.

The Cougars took advantage of another Cardinal error and add to their lead in the second inning. Toby Marse would lead off by taking a pitch to the back. An error on a Denton Peveto bunt let Marse get to third base, and a wild pitch would let him come across to score. Peyton Leon would take a walk and Graffagnino would hit another single, followed up by Knox hitting his own single to score Peveto and Peyton Leon. That’s all they would get but the Cougars would take a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second inning.

A home run extended the lead even further for the Cougars. Reid Pollard connects on a pitch with two outs and sends it to deep left-center field for a solo home-run. That’s all the offense they would find, but the Cougars led 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.

After another error from the Cardinal defense, the Cougars extend their lead even further. Marse would walk to leadoff, Peveto would bunt and reach base to put runners on first and second. Kyler Stark would bunt, but an overthrown ball would allow Marse to score from second base. On a wild pitch Peveto would come across the plate for the innings second run.

The inning would continue with a Leon infield single that scores Kyler Starks from third, who reached on an error, for the inning’s third run. Leon would single to keep the inning alive, Knox would reach on a fielder’s choice. Leon would score on a botched pickoff attempt from the Cardinals. A long double from Pollard would score Knox from third base. The Cardinals would finally end the inning, but not before giving up five runs to the Cougars. Buna led 10-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Cardinals finally found some offense with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sam Carpenter would leadoff with a walk, Kade Benoit would move him over to third with a hard liner to right center. Brice Swanton would hit a grounder to shortstop, letting Carpenter score from third as the Cougars led 10-1 after six complete.

The Cougars piled it on even more with two more home runs. Stark would single to start the inning, Carson Burks reached on an error bringing up Leon. Leon smacked one to deep right field bringing in three more runs. Gaffignino woudl reach on an error in the next at bat, bringing up Kale Knox who blasted one to right field for two RBI’s.