The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

A two game series between the Bridge City Cardinals and the Vidor Pirates to determine the lead at the halfway point of the District 19-4A baseball schedule was curtailed by the weather last week. The Cardinals and Pirates played only one game with Vidor taking the win in extra innings at Bridge City.

The Pirates improved their district record to 6-1 with their 5-3 victory in eleven innings over the Cardinals who dropped to 3-2 in the district. The two teams started the second game on Thursday, April 6, but after just two pitches in the top of the first at Vidor lightning and then rain postponed the game.

Tuesday’s game was scoreless through three innings when Vidor scored in the top of the fourth. Jarrett Odom singled and was sacrificed to second base where he scored on an opposite field double down the left field line by Ty Watson to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead.

In the fifth the Pirates added two more runs to go up 3-0. Daigan Venable walked and Austin Cadroy singled before Odom doubled both of them home.

Vidor starting pitcher Bryce Bushelle had limited the Cardinals to one hit through the first five innings. Bridge City began a comeback in the bottom of the sixth when John Van Huis leadoff with a walk.

Brice Swanton batted next and hit into a fielder’s choice. JS Bearden blasted a drive to left center and Justin Abate then walked to load the bases for Bridge City with only one out.

Landon Reeves ripped a double down the left field line that brought home Swanton and Bearden. Vidor brought in relief pitcher Aiden Sims who the Cardinals’ Aidyn Mulhollan greeted with a game tying single.

Bridge City had runners at second and third with still only one out. Sims bore down and struck out the next two Cardinal batters to keep the game tied at 3-3 after six innings.

The game remained tied as Reeves replaced Bearden on the mound for Bridge City in the eighth. The Pirates threatened in the ninth when they got two runners on after two were out, but Reeves retired Cadroy on a fly ball to right.

Landon Bailey began the tenth for Vidor with a single to right center. He tried to stretch it into a double but was thrown out by Bearden who had moved back to the outfield after pitching two plus innings between the fifth and seventh.

Pirate pitcher Sims faced the minimum number of Cardinal batters in the seventh through the tenth. He used his bat to good effect with a single to deep short and went to second when the throw to first base was wild.

A sacrifice moved courtesy runner Brayden Springs to third and he scored on a squeeze bunt that was bobbled to allow Lance Beavers to reach base. The third error in the inning by the Cardinals put two Pirates on base when Venable doubled to drive in the final Vidor run for a 5-3 lead.

Sims closed out the game retiring the Cardinals in order in the bottom of the eleventh. Sims earned the win for the Pirates pitching five and two-third scoreless innings allowing two hits, one walk, and striking out six.

The Bridge City Cardinals resume action this week with two games against the Lumberton Raiders. The Cardinals played at Lumberton on Tuesday and face the Raiders at Chuck Young Field in Bridge City on Friday.

Weather also cancelled one of Little Cypress Mauriceville’s games with Lumberton. The Bears lost to the Raiders 13-1 at Don Gibbens Field.

This week the Little Cypress Mauriceville Bears play the Jasper Bulldogs twice. Tuesday’s game was at Jasper and the two teams meet again at Little Cypress Mauriceville on Friday.

The West Orange Stark Mustangs had their byes last week and did not play a game. The Mustangs take on the Silsbee Tigers this week in two games.