Round one with Mount Carmel

The Mount Carmel Rebels visited Baytown today and were sent packing by a steady BCA Bulldog squad that dismissed the district foe 13-3 in the minimum four and a half innings. Seldom used pitcher Ryan Bertram shook off the cobwebs for a workmanlike four innings in which he allowed two runs on five hits, while racking up six strikeouts an earning the victory. Bertram was also one of four Bulldog sluggers that finished the day with two hits. Boogie Russell, Wesley Winn, and newcomer Jake Garcia were the others. Garcia's effort was particularly exciting, as he combined flawless play at shortstop with an aggressive approach at the plate in his first game with the team. Garcia has been practicing with the team for a month, but just became eligible following the completion of the mandatory in-season transfer waiting period.

All nine BCA hitters recorded at least one base hit, as Winn, Bertram, Garcia, and freshman Tyler Beasley all smacked extra-base hits. Sophomore slugger Winn smashed two doubles and scored two runs in the finest hitting performance of his career. Clay Wiseman led the team in runs batted in with three. Bertram was relieved by sophomore Grant Harber, who struck out two in his inning of work. Harber allowed one run on a wind-aided fly ball that drifted over the left field wall for a homerun. Next up for the Bulldogs is the West Houston Thunder at home on Thursday at 4 PM. The scrappy Thunder beat BCA last season and should provide another solid test as we continue our quest for the TCAL state title.