Fort Worth Christian High School faced CDA FM last week, hoping to snap a two-game skid and regain momentum as district play intensified.
Thursday
On Thursday, the Cardinals hosted the Lions, with Greg Smeds taking the mound. CDA FM's offense jumped on Smeds early, as the first five batters reached base, leading to three runs. A two-run double capped the inning, giving the Lions an early 3-0 lead.
Fort Worth Christian quickly responded in the bottom of the first. Grady Emerson singled home Carney, then scored on a wild pitch two batters later. Jake Parkerson then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, tying the game at 3-3.
The Cardinals' offense ignited in the bottom of the third. Emerson walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Braylen James' sacrifice fly brought Emerson home, giving FWC a 4-3 lead. After two more batters reached, Andrew Ridgell singled to center, driving in another run. With the bases loaded, back-to-back walks brought in two more runs. Griffin Carney then hit a sacrifice fly, capping a five-run inning that put the Cardinals up 8-3.
Fort Worth Christian continued its offensive onslaught in the fourth. With two runners on and one out, Ridgell singled to center, driving in two to make it 10-3. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Hank Austin hit a deep sacrifice fly for another run. Griffin Carney then smashed a single to the right side, pushing the score to 12-3 and setting the stage for Grady Emerson with two on and two out. Emerson connected on a 1-2 pitch for an opposite-field, three-run home run, extending the lead to 15-3 and setting up a potential mercy-rule victory.
Fred Hall entered for his second inning in relief and retired the side quickly in the fifth, allowing just one walk in his two innings of work on Thursday night. The Cardinals' dominant offensive performance secured a decisive 15-3 mercy-rule win.
Friday
The next day, Fort Worth Christian visited CDA FM, but the change of scenery did little to slow the Cardinals' relentless offense.
In the top of the first inning, Griffin Carney led off with a walk. Grady Emerson followed by smoking a ball into right field that was misplayed, allowing Emerson to round the bases for an inside-the-park home run, giving Fort Worth Christian a quick 2-0 lead. Six more batters reached base before the Cardinals were retired, pushing the score to 6-0. When the lineup flipped, Carney singled home a run, making it 7-0. A walk to Emerson and a hit-by-pitch to Braylen James loaded the bases for Jaxon Casselberry, who ripped a bases-clearing three-run triple into the left-center field gap, extending the lead to 11-0. Jake Parkerson's sacrifice fly scored Casselberry, capping a monumental 12-run first inning for the Cardinals.
The Lions managed three runs in the bottom of the third off Brateris, but he induced an inning-ending double play, preserving Fort Worth Christian's large lead and keeping them on track for an early finish.
The Cardinals continued their offensive assault in the fourth inning, drawing four consecutive walks. Two batters later, Andrew Ridgell doubled to left field, driving in two more runs to make it 16-3. Fort Worth Christian added three more runs on two hits, putting them within striking distance of the 15-run mercy rule.
Antonio Andujar closed out the game, allowing just a single in his inning of work, sealing a dominant 19-3 mercy-rule victory for the Cardinals. The win completed a perfect 2-0 week against the Lions, improving Fort Worth Christian's district record to 5-1.
Thoughts and Analysis
The Cardinals' work on the basepaths remains prevalent. An interesting statistic to watch this season: when the Cardinals steal two or fewer bases, they are 5-5-1. While a .500 record isn't necessarily bad, the team is a perfect 15-0 when stealing three or more bases in a game. This demonstrates how much the Cardinals thrive on chaos on the basepaths. This aggressive style adds another layer for opposing pitchers and catchers to consider, often leading to mistakes like served-up fastballs or spiked pitches. It has become Fort Worth Christian's bread and butter.
Grady Emerson has been in mid-season form, hitting .688 over his last five games with four home runs, 11 RBIs and five walks. However, along with Emerson, Griffin Carney is another anchor in the lineup. In losses, Carney is hitting just .133 with a .514 OPS. But in wins, he is slashing .433/.532/1.116, showcasing how invaluable the leadoff hitter is in setting the offensive tone. These are vital keys to the Cardinals' success as they get deeper into district play and move towards the playoffs. It will be interesting to continue tracking the Cardinals' work on the basepaths and see if the trend of perfection continues when they steal three or more bases. Not every series can be a 34-6 offensive onslaught, such as their last one, but it does demonstrate their capabilities when all pieces are flowing as one solid unit.
The Cardinals travel to Lubbock for two district matchups against Trinity Christian, playing Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon.
Photo via Tyler Rix FWC Baseball
Comments