The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The Bridge City Cardinals will take on Robinson in a best-of-three series beginning Thursday in the Class 3A

Region III semifinal round of the state baseball playoffs. The

Cardinals defeated Giddings in a two game sweep in the quarterfinal

round that ended Friday night in a 4-1 victory.

The playoff series against Robinson will start Thursday at 7:30. Game

Two will be Saturday at 4:30, Game Three if necessary will be held 30

minutes afterward. Location to be announced.

As if on que the Bridge City Cardinals cracked open Game Two of the Region III quarterfinal round Friday defeating the Giddings Buffaloes 4-1. Tied 1-1 in the top of the seventh inning Zach Smith broke the stalemate with an amazing 3 run homer over left field that will be talked about for years.

But the final scene in this tense baseball drama was just unfolding. A light drizzle had begun to fall over Woodlands College Park in Conroe as, one by one, Giddings managed to load the bases with just 1 out in the bottom of the frame. What seemed to be a clear cut Cardinal victory was suddenly in jeopardy.

Cardinal head baseball Coach Chad Landry wasn’t taking chances. He called in senior left hander Forest Zoch to relieve junior pitcher Jake Lemoine. He also had Hayden Guidry warming up.

After a meeting at the mound, Lemoine stepped off the field amid cheers from Cardinal fans. He had battled Giddings to the final two outs in a remarkable pitching performance that shutdown the Buffaloes with 10 strikeouts and just four walks, giving up six hits.

Pressure mounted as Zoch took the hill and Giddings hit a shot to third baseman Preston Pittman who tapped the bag and threw to first baseman Dylan Mulhollan for the double play ending the game. It was a classic Cardinal playoff victory.

Bridge City defeated Giddings 8-3 in Game One last Wednesday. Zoch got a win and a save in the series.

See Cardinal Playoff Photos In The Article Slide Show.