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May 29, 2009

Dogs fight back in Game 2 for series clincher

By Cody Pastorella

HOUSTON — Friday night's Game 2 between the Nederland Bulldogs and Friendswood Mustangs was everything between bad to great to incredible. Once the game reached the fifth inning, there wasn't a fan sitting. They coudn't because the lead was changing hands as fast as a basketball game.

   Back-and-forth both teams went, battling out tug-of-war of nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings alone; but when all the dust settled, Nederland walked away with a brilliant 7-6 victory.

   The win improved the Dogs record to 24-7 this season and they earned a trip to the regional finals where it will meet the winner of Waltrip and Brenham, who will play the third and decisive game at noon today. 

   Their were enough clutch hits at the University of Houston's Cougar Field on Friday night that most teams could last on for weeks of baseball.

    But in a game like Friday's was, every heroic moment was absolutely necessary. 

   From a gutsy 1.1 innings of pitching from sophomore Tyler Smith, to Jordan Pitts' first home run of the season, the Bulldogs never quit.

   They committed four errors. Three pitchers walked 12 batters. Starter Josh Dean struggled from the get go. He gave away eight free passes and allowed a three-run third that gave the Mustangs a 3-1 lead.

    But Dean settled in for the fourth and fifth innings, which gave Nederland enough time to get the hit parade scheduled for the fifth and sixth innings. The Dogs scored three runs in each of those innings to overcome defecits of 3-1 and 6-4.

   All this after they left the bases loaded in the fourth. All this after they basically handed Friendswood four free runs in the third and sixth innings.

   "Never say die, I guess," said Nederland head coach Cody Robbins. "This team has so much composure. They really showed it tonight. We never gave up. Nine hits and seven runs — that's something we are capable — that's us, but all the walks and the errors — that wasn't us. But we overcame all that. We stayed focused and got some really big hits from so many guys. Dean struggled but he fought through it. Then Tyler came in and we got a big inning from him in the seventh. It was just an incredible game."

    After allowing three runs to the Mustangs in the top of the sixth, which gave Friendswood a 6-4 lead, the no-quit Bulldogs fired right back in the bottom half.

   Nederland's started its half of the sixth with with a bloop single to right field from Stephen Schlett. He moved to second on a past ball, and then scored on a single by Jordan Pitts, who was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, a homer, and two runs scored. That cut Friendswood lead to 6-5.

    With Pitts at second and one out, Friendswood elected to intentionally walk Cardenas, who plated Bellow in the first inning on a single that gave Nederland a 1-0 lead.

    Then with two outs in the sixth, Nederland's Cody Laird dropped a flare into left that was just inches from the foul line. The ball kicked away from Friendswood's diving left fielder and that allowed Bellow and Cardenas to score from first and second, giving Nederland a 7-6 advantage that it would not lose.

    Smith, who took over with two outs in the sixth, rolled through his first two batters in the seventh and then with a runner at first, he induced a chopper to short. Pitts rushed to the infield grass where he fielded the ball cleanly, rose and fired to first base for the final out of the game.

   Down 3-1, Nederland also scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Jordan Pitts' solo home run to left field and a two-run double by Jude Vidrine.

   Pitts led the fifth off by launching a 2-2 curveball to McDonald's. Following Pitt's homer, which cut Friendswood's lead to 3-2, Kirby Bellow drew a walk and then Nick Cardenas hit an infield single that safely moved Bellow to second.

   Still with no outs, Trey Terracina pushed a bunt between third and short, leaving the Mustangs with no play and the bases loaded for Nederland. After Friendswood picked up the first out in the fifth, Vidrine smacked a gapper to left that scored Bellow and Cardenas, giving the Dogs a 4-3 advantage and their second lead of the game.

   The Bulldogs 4-3 lead was short lived, however, as Friendswood responded with a three-run sixth. The Mustangs also scored three runs in the third that gave them a 3-1 lead.

   Dean, who struggled with his control in all five innings of his start, hit his third batter of the game to begin the Mustangs' top of the sixth. Then with one out, Dean walked his fifth batter, giving Friendswood runners at first and second.

   At that point, Robbins decided to bring in sophomore Jacob Pitts, who got his first batter to ground into a 1-6 put out, which left runners at first and third with two outs.

   But Jacob threw a past ball that allowed Matt Kennemer to score the tying run. Then the lefty walked his next batter, which reloaded the bases. That prompted Robbins to go to sophomore Tyler Smith, who gave up a two-run single to Cody Bergeson.

   All that just proved to be Nederland's way of teasing everyone into thinking there would be a third game.

   Instead, the Dogs will enjoy the rest of their weekend, as they knocked off Friendswood, a 2008 state qualifier, in two games.

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