NEDERLAND — Port Neches-Groves senior Carter Henry threw 58 pitches through three innings Wednesday against Nederland.
The Bulldogs held a 2-1 lead at that point and then Henry settled down and led the Indians to a 7-2 victory at Metreyon-Delahoussaye Park.
“I went out there and it was just a constant building,” Henry said. “I feel every outing I get better as the game goes on. Tonight was a prime example of that.”
It wasn’t a shabby performance considering there were several professional baseball scouts on hand to watch Henry throw against his rival.
“After a few innings I was able to zone in,” Henry said. “The strikeouts are always a confidence booster. You realize they aren’t hitting and you can just put it right past them.”
Nederland (11-10. 7-4) had all four of its walks and three hits against Henry come in the first three innings.
Henry did not face more than three batters in an inning from the fourth through the seventh.
The Indians (15-6, 10-1) tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth on a RBI single by second baseman Logan LeJeune. The single drove home first baseman Adam Morse who reached by getting hit by a pitch by Nederland starter Brendon Dunkleberger.
PN-G chased Dunkleberger out of the game in the sixth inning.
Indians left fielder Cole Girouard led off with an infield single and Morse again was hit by a pitch before LeJeune laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners.
The Bulldogs then elected to walk Henry and it looked to work because Dunkleberge then struck out Ryan Leckich for the second out.
PN-G third baseman Austin Bost gave PN-G a 3-2 lead with a RBI walk. It was the last batter of the night for Dunkleberger who was replaced by Braydon Credeur.
Indians shortstop Nathan Vidrine then drove in Morse and Henry’s courtesy runner, Trey Selman, to give the Indians a 5-2 cushion.
Henry struck out the side in the sixth and struck out two of the three batters he faced in the seventh. The last out was a groundout back to the pitcher.
“Carter went out and was a little shaky at the starter,” PN-G coach Scott Carter said. “I think he was trying to find the zone and trying to find what the umpire was going to call. We talked to Carter and (catcher) Chase (Warren) and then he threw really well.
“He (Henry) came to me in the fourth or fifth and said he was starting to feel it. He was always coming back out for the seventh. We had a lead and he had the chance to finish it.”
Nederland center fielder Kody Kolb gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with a RBI single to score catcher Kody Kolb who reached on a fielder’s choice.
The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third when second baseman Austin Krautz scored on a RBI groundout by third baseman Burke Badon.
PN-G tacked on two final runs in the top of the seventh to make the final score when Girouard and LeJeune scored on a passed ball and Nederland throwing error during the same play.