The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

CONROE- There was a stern determination in the Bridge City Cardinal dugout on Friday going into Game Two of the Region III area round series after losing to Smithville, 7-5, in extra innings the previous evening. There wasn’t the usual pranking among the players that breaks the tension before a ball game. Even the fans were stoic, huddled in small groups discussing possibilities for Game Two.

The Cardinals seemed to have hit a brick wall to start the series against Smithville and the pressure fell on the shoulders of senior pitcher Forest Zoch on Friday in what loomed as a possible season ending playoff game at Oak Ridge High School in Conroe.

Facing his most formidable opponent this season, in the most important game of his high school career, Zoch went to battle on the hill as the Cardinals ground down Smithville 6-3 to win Game Two. The senior left hander went the distance overcoming a first inning two run homer by Smithville with the game just getting started. Smithville wouldn’t score again until the sixth inning but by then it was already too late.

Cardinal bats and stealth around the bases had Bridge City sitting on a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Mitchell Hubbard put a Smithville pitch over the left field fence for a two run homer in the 6-3 victory to tie the series 1-1.

The Cardinals took the momentum and came back on Saturday for Game Three and put the polish on the playoff round dismantling Smithville 10-2 and punching the ticket to the next level. Hyden Guidry went the distance on the hill for Big Red. Bridge City now moves up to the Region III quarterfinal round against Giddings this week.

In the decisive Game Three, the Cardinals posted a six run fourth inning that featured a two run homerun shot by senior Dylan Mullhollan. Cardinal outfielder Cameron Dishon scored three runs for the Cardinals and Cardinal catcher Matt Menard had 3 RBI’s.

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