BRIDGE CITY — The Bridge City Cardinals are not satisfied with just making the Class 4A Region III semifinals.

The Cardinals expect to win.

Bridge City (24-9-1) takes on Waco Robinson (26-3) in a three-game series starting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Sam Houston State in Huntsville. The series shifts to Conroe’s College Park for Game 2 at 5 p.m. Saturday. Game 3, if necessary, will immediately follow Game 2.

The Cardinals enter the series looking for the team’s 12th trip to the regional finals. Bridge City last made it in 2007.

This is the 16th time in school history the Cardinals have reached the regional semifinals.

“It has been a while since we have been to the fourth round,” Bridge City coach Chad Landry said. “I am really happy for our senior guys, who have won four district championships and been to the regional quarterfinals, [who] three times now have a chance to play in the regional semifinals as a Bridge City Cardinal.”

The reason the Cardinals are not scared about playing the Rockets is simple — the Cardinals are confident.

Bridge City has played in Game 3 situations the last two rounds and picked up wins over West Orange-Stark and Bellville. The series against the Mustangs was extra intense since it was a District 24-4A rival Bridge City was facing.

WOS won Game 1 behind a stellar pitching performance from Jack Dallas. Bridge City forced the deciding game with a 6-3 win in Game 2 behind the pitching of Kyle Bergeron. Tanner Doiron then won Game 3 for Bridge City, 3-2.

“The last two series we had we have basically had one-game playoffs where it was lose one game and you go home,” Landry said. “We know what to expect. Our guys feed off of it and they are not scared of the moment. They like it and it has been fun.”

Braxton Ashcraft is one of the pitchers for Robinson that Landry has his eyes on. Ashcraft went seven innings in a Game 3 victory over Lufkin Hudson to pitch the Rockets into the semifinals.

Ashcraft allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Robinson won the game 9-2.

Dru Dziedzic went Game 1 and lost to Hudson 4-2. Dziedzic struck out 12 batters and allowed two runs on seven hits.

Zach Boyett threw Game 2 for Robinson, a 10-3 Rockets win. He struck out seven batters and allowed one earned on seven hits with no walks.

Dziedzic is certainly the Rockets’ ace. He pitched in a 6-0 Robinson victory and went all seven innings. Dziedzic allowed two hits and struck out 18 batters. Landry said Dziedzic started the game against Rusk with 27 strikes.

“The Rockets are a well coached team,” Landry said of Robinson coach Bryan Kent. “We played them earlier in the year and lost 4-3 to them in the Cameron [Yoe] tournament. Coach Kent is a good friend of mine and he does a great job.”

Doiron pitched four innings against the Rockets in the Cameron Yoe tournament and gave up three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and three walks. Ashcraft threw five innings for Robinson. He gave up three runs (one earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

Bergeron was 2 for 3 for Bridge City with a run, RBI and a triple.

“They are solid,” Landry said. “There is a reason they are 26-3. We are going to have to continue to pitch well. We are going to have to attack the zone. Two or three runs are going to do it. Every run and every hit is crucial. We don’t care how our kids get on base, just get on base.”

The winner of the Bridge City and Robinson series faces the winner of Jasper and Little Cypress-Mauriceville. The Bulldogs and Bears square off in a one-game playoff at 7 p.m. Thursday at LCM.