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Bridge City stuns top-ranked Carthage, 6-2

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KFDM COOP

KFDM COOP

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Bridge City stuns top-ranked Carthage, 6-2

Gabe Pruett

The Orange Leader

JASPER — The Carthage Bulldogs are no longer undefeated and the Bridge City Cardinals are the reason why.

Bridge City got another solid pitching performance from senior Jeff Stringer who struck out 12 batters and two home runs from fellow-senior Johnny Dishon in Bridge City's 6-2 win Thursday at Jasper High School.

The Cardinals (26-6-1) now lead the Class 3A Region III Regional Semi-finals 1-0 with Game 2 slated for noon Saturday at Lufkin's Morris Frank Park. Game 3, if necessary, will follow Game 2 by 30 minutes.

As for Thursday, the Cardinals did almost everything they needed to do to take down the Bulldogs who came into the game 28-0 and left 28-1.

"We knew we had to play a great game and we did exactly that," Dishon said whose third inning blast gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead. "We didn't make any mistakes tonight and just came out and made the plays we needed to make. It feels so good right now. We have been waiting for them all year and we came to Jasper and did all we could."

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first inning when Stringer struck out the side but on a third strike Carthage took advantage of a passed ball to get its first baserunner.

Jon Baker then stole second and Garrett Smith connected on a double to center field.

The Cardinals did not let the run bother them as Bridge City tied the score in the bottom of the second on a RBI sacrifice fly by Daniel Willey which plated catcher Casey Jackson who led the inning off with a double of his own to left-center field. Dustin Breaux crossed home plate on the Willey flyball as he came in to courtesy run for Jackson.

Bridge City took the lead for good on the Dishon bomb in the bottom of the third and it was all Stringer would need.

"This is obviously a huge win but it will only make them mad and make them hungry," Stringer said. "Now we have to come out and play even better on Saturday. If we keep playing ball, we will be just fine."

The Bulldogs showed the heart of a team that was 28-0 in the top of the seventh as Khris Tate and Baker led off with back-to-back singles.

Bridge City freshman Matt Hicks then introduced himself into the regional semi-finals with a possible game-saving play as Smith laced a knock to short which Hicks took off the arm.

Hicks kept the ball in front of himself and flipped to second baseman Troy Bolton for a very important first out.

Stringer then struck out David Rollins, who started on the hill for Carthage, before putting Jace Hamilton on with a hit-by-a-pitch.

Stringer got Matt Akin to ground out to Bolton to end the game and give the Cardinals' the 1-0 series lead.

"We had excellent pitching tonight and our defense had guys make some great plays in the clutch tonight," Bridge City Coach Billy Bryant said. "We also came up with some timely hits and to get eight hits off a pitcher with that kind of caliber is a solid showing."

With the Cardinals leading 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Dishon did exactly what the Cardinals needed in giving Stringer some working room heading into the top of the seventh.

Dishon smacked a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for his 12th homer of the year and it gave Bridge City the 4-2 lead.

Rollins then settled down and got Hicks to fly out and then struck out Jackson for a quick two outs.

Stringer then helped himself with an infield single and Chase Leger came in to courtesy run.

Willey followed Stringer up with a single to right and Chase Warner then loaded the bases with a walk.

Freshman Joe Robertson then reached base on a Carthage throwing error which also allowed Leger to score from third making it 5-3.

Jaden Dillon then came up huge for the Cardinals with a RBI single to center which scored Willey and made the final 6-2 score.

Carthage scored its second run of the game in the top of the fifth as Tate led off with a single to left-center and took second when Baker was hit by a pitch.

Smith moved Tate to third with a bunt and the Cardinals traded Tate scoring as Rollins hit into a smooth double play turned by Bolton who flipped to second covered by Hicks who then fired to Warner at first.

"We can't relax now," Dishon said. "They have two good pitchers left. I know we have the guys who cannot step up and I don't care who it is as long as we get one more win."

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East TX

East TX

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This Carthage is a fine team--it was a matter that our Ace was a little better than their Ace tonight.

BC is just getting a little better as the playoffs continue.  An error-less game and 8 timely hits sunk the Bulldog efforts tonight.

I am still baffled at the magnitude of this win; Carthage had only given up 14 runs thus far and yet the Cardinals tagged them for 6 in just this one game, off a shocking  8 hit outing .

Keep focused against this good Carthage team!

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CardinalFan

CardinalFan

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Here's the article by the Carthage sports writer.

http://www.news-journal.com/sports/content/sports/stories/Carthage___05_25_2007.html

Bridge City deals first loss to 'Dogs

By GABRIEL D. BROOKS

Friday, May 25, 2007

JASPER — An undefeated record and No. 1 state ranking by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association accompanied Carthage entering its Class 3A Region III semifinal series opener against No. 9 Bridge City here Thursday night.

After Thursday's Game 1, the Bulldogs will get to find out what it's like to play with a loss and their backs against the wall.

LSU-bound outfielder Johnny Dishon and pitcher Jeff Stringer propelled Bridge City to a 6-2 win over Carthage as Dishon provided the punch from the plate and Stringer helped the Cardinals out of a couple of jams.

Dishon went 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBIs, while Stringer pitched a complete game, yielding only two earned runs and scattering seven hits with 12 strikeouts and four walks.

Carthage's Garrett Smith roped an RBI double into left-center field to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the first, but the lead was short-lived and the only one 28-1 Carthage would have the entire game.

After tying the game in the second, Bridge City (26-6-1) got what proved to be the game-winning hit from Dishon in the bottom of the third. Dishon unloaded on the first pitch he saw, blasting a two-run homer over the left-center field fence and posing en route to first base to give the Cardinals a 3-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Carthage had two chances later in the game to tie or possibly regain the lead, but both times the Bulldogs came up short.

Carthage loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth, but mustered a lone run. David Rollins grounded into a double play that scored Khris Tate to cut Bridge City's lead to 3-2.

The Bulldogs' second missed opportunity proved more costly. Still trailing by one run in the top of the sixth inning, Taylor Harris drew a one-out walk and Derrick "Bubba" Loofboro singled to right to put two men on with one out. But after a strikeout, Tate took a ball that was bobbled in the dirt, causing Harris to break for third where he was tagged out for the final out of the inning.

Bridge City capitalized on Carthage's missed opportunity with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Dishon parked his second homer, a solo shot, over the left field fence before Chase Leger scored on an error and Jaden Dillon drove in Daniel Wiley to put Bridge City up 6-2.

Jonathon Baker and Tate led off the seventh with singles to give the Bulldogs a glimmer of hope, but a fielder's choice and a strikeout sabotaged the rally.

Smith went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Tate was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Rollins pitched the whole game for Carthage, striking out six while walking one. The junior left-hander gave up four earned runs on eight hits.

Game 2 is Saturday at noon at Lufkin's Morris Frank Park. If necessary, Game 3 will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 2.

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adminbaberuth

adminbaberuth

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Upset, on paper maybe.

The one's that were fortunate to see the game, would have a better perspective of Carthage's talent, but I've seen BC's team for a couple of years and they have no weak links.

Stringer is Div 1, Dishon Div 1, and they have a whole team that has the  potential to play at the next level. Meeks pitched a heck of a game against Needville in a pressure suitation, Clark and Hicks can also get it done.

It's Carthage that has their backs to the wall, my money is on the Cards.     

   

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injun

injun

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Upset, on paper maybe.

The one's that were fortunate to see the game, would have a better perspective of Carthage's talent, but I've seen BC's team for a couple of years and they have no weak links.

Stringer is Div 1, Dishon Div 1, and they have a whole team that has the  potential to play at the next level. Meeks pitched a heck of a game against Needville in a pressure suitation, Clark and Hicks can also get it done.

It's Carthage that has their backs to the wall, my money is on the Cards.     

   

Oh they are talented..BC just flat out played them...In all aspects of the game
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Guest Bulldog

Guest Bulldog

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Stringer you did one fine job keeping them off balance..Gave up some hits, but you didn't let them bunch them together for a big inning

Thanks....I just did what i knew i had to do to win.

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