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Meeks, Cards outlast Jasper to force Game 3

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Meeks, Cards outlast Jasper to force Game 3

Gabe Pruett

The Orange Leader

BEAUMONT — Bridge City's Phillip Meeks came up large again for the Cardinals in a Game 2 situation and the defending Region III champions needed every pitch he hurled.

Meeks went the distance Friday night in the Cardinals' 8-6 victory over the Jasper Bulldogs in the Class 3A Region III Regional Finals at Lamar University's Vincent Beck Stadium.

Game 3 will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Vincent Beck.

The Cardinals (28-7-1) committed another four errors Friday night but this time were able to hold off the Bulldogs (31-7) behind the bottom of the batting order that scored six of the Cardinals' eight runs.

Meeks allowed just five hits in the game and struck out six batters to go with three walks.

"I really don't know what it is about Jasper," Meeks said. "I felt a couple times in the game where I was over-pitching because of the errors, it was mainly when they had guys on base. The whole time I was able to maintain myself. I figured tonight there was no way I was going to allow them to come back and I knew my team would not allow it."

The Bulldogs sure did try though in the bottom of the seventh.

Down 8-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Jasper's Taylor Hart singled to left and Malcolm Bronson reached on a wild pitch on a called third strike.

After Meeks struck out Travis Reagan, Justin Parsons laced a shot to Bridge City second baseman Troy Bolton.

Bolton made a nice grab but his throw to Chase Warner hit the dirt and bounced near the Jasper dugout.

Two runs scored on the play making it 8-6 and the Jasper fans began to once again believe in a rally.

Meeks then allowed a single to Chantz Pryor but the second right-handed pitcher had seen enough and got Blake Weller-Alexander to pop up to Bolton to end the game.

"I knew a few guys would be ready to come in if I needed it but I wanted this game," Meeks said. "I wanted to beat Jasper. We are pumped now, just like the Needville series. Our defense will come out and play great tomorrow and they will back up whoever is pitching."

The starting pitcher is still a question for Bridge City Coach Billy Bryant. Bryant said it will be either Matt Hicks or Jason Clark in Game 3.

Bryant was full of compliments for his Game 2 pitcher who threw 105 pitches in the win.

"Phillip did a great job for us," Bryant said. "He found a way to pitch the whole game against a great team like Jasper. He simply was up there battling."

Bryant was still not ready to say it is the Jasper Bulldogs who force the Cardinals into playing unusual-sloppy defense.

"I think these are high school kids who are playing with a lot of pressure and some for the first time in a long time," Bryant said. "It is a game these kids are playing and you have to adjust to the ups and the downs."

The Cardinals took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth as with two down Daniel Willey was hit by a pitch and Chase Warner was then walked.

Joe Robertson then hit an infield single to load the bases.

Jaden Dillon then brought Willey home with a RBI single.

Bolton then blasted a two-RBI single to left scoring both Warner and Robertson making it 3-3.

Dillon was able to score all the way from first on a throwing error by Jasper trying to get Dillon at third.

The Cardinals then made 5-3 in the top of the fifth as Matt Hicks led off with a double down the left field line.

The Jaguars then took a page out of the Cardinals book by intentionally walking Casey Jackson to pitch to Jeff Stringer. Stringer reached on a bunt and Daniel Willey then plated Hicks with a fielder's choice hit to third.

The Cardinals loaded the bases again as Joe Robertson walked but Bridge City was unable to capitalize as Jaden Dillon struck out with two outs.

Jasper put another run top on the board in the bottom of the sixth as Justin Parsons reached second on a two-base error and was moved to second when Pryor singled to left.

Blake Weller-Alexander then ripped a sacrifice fly to left giving Parsons plenty of time to score from third making it 6-4.

The Cardinals scored their sixth run in top of the sixth as Bolton led off with a walk and with two down Casey Jackson hit a single to left putting Bolton on second.

Stringer then helped his stepbrother Meeks out with a RBI single to center making it 6-3.

Bridge City picked up two insurance runs in the top of the seventh as Robertson reached on a fielder's choice and took second when Jaden Dillon hit an infield single. Robertson alertly headed for third and came in to score on a Jasper error making it 7-4.

Dillon moved to third on a Bolton fly out to right and Johnny Dishon made his presence felt for the first time in the series with a RBI single down the left field line with two outs making it 8-4.

The Bulldogs got on the board first in the bottom of the third after John Bradley led off with a walk and with one down Robert Shellhammer drew another walk off starter Phillip Meeks.

The runners then were awarded second and third on a balk setting up a two-RBI single to right field by Taylor Hart making it 2-0 Jasper.

The Bulldogs made it 3-0 as Hart came in to score off a Travis Reagan RBI single to center.

The Cardinals then got a bit of good luck after Jaden Dillon dropped a fly ball but threw to third to get a force out, the second of the inning.

Meeks then got out of the inning as Chantz Pryor flew out to center.

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643

643

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meeks doesnt get all the glamor...the 90 mph or all the strike outs and big publicity

but my gosh can the guy get the job done...mixes his pitches hits his spots and GETS OUTS i think he has 3 k's in his last two starts but he has 2 W's

great job

Location, location and location is the 3 things that make a pitcher, all these pitchers with high strike outs lead to HIGH pitch counts>>something that has to be controlled, not IP. I would much rather see a guy work the lower part of the zone and get the ground ball outs that would extend his pitching. Roy O is one of the best examples I can think of. You get a defense that relies on Ks you end up like HJ, and this is simple fundamentals of baseball.  
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sharkb8er

sharkb8er

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Your simple fundamentals of baseball are out the window if the umpire is not calling the low strike.  I hate umpires that force pitchers to get it up in the batters eyes before they will call it a strike.  IMO there are two types of umps, pitchers umps, and hitters umps.

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kem up 10

kem up 10

Posted
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meeks doesnt get all the glamor...the 90 mph or all the strike outs and big publicity

but my gosh can the guy get the job done...mixes his pitches hits his spots and GETS OUTS i think he has 3 k's in his last two starts but he has 2 W's

great job

6 k's against jasper cardinal8107

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