Photo by Kim North Bridgeport shortstop Jaki Threet tags out Cameron’s Talen Brown following a rundown Wednesday in the Bulldogs’ 5-1 victory on the Niekro Diamond. Backing up the play are Bridgeport’s Carson Sauvageot (27) and Roman Sauvageot (0).

BROOKSIDE – Bridgeport baseball coach Billy Timko has been waiting on a statement win that his Bulldogs can hang their hats on. The wait is over.

Connor Nelson delivered a masterpiece Wednesday night as Bridgeport (7-7) halted Cameron’s 10-game winning streak with a 5-1 victory on the Niekro Diamond inside Bill Jobko Stadium.

“Mathematically we still thought we had a chance of making the (OVAC Class 2A playoff field), but we had to win this game,” Timko assessed. “Connor is our ace and he really came through for us today. His pitching coach wanted him to come out after 70 (pitches), but he said ‘I’m going back out there and finish the job.'”

The sophomore struck out a career-high 14 batters, walked just one and yielded three harmless singles among his 116 pitches, of which 74 were strikes. He threw a first-pitch strike to 15 of the 25 Dragons he faced and retired 14 of the final 16. Six of his Ks were looking.

“My fastball was getting by the hitters. I did spike my off-speed pitches in the first two innings, but after that I was able to control them,” Nelson said. “They are a really good team with a lot of good hitters. They battled and really spiked up my pitch count.

“Luckily, I was able to get my fastball past a couple of them and get us back up to the plate,” he said. “I really like when I’m pitching and we’re winning. It makes my job that much easier. It keeps my mentality higher and I don’t worry about the little things.”

The lone Cameron (16-4) run came in its first at-bat when Soier Reed singled to center to start the game. After stealing second and third, he sprinted home on a groundout to first by Kason Angel.

The Bulldogs, who have won four of their last six, drew even in the bottom of the first. Nelson legged out an infield single and scooted to third on consecutive wild pitches. With one out, he scored on a Gage Drummond groundout.

Bridgeport plated four runs in the third and Nelson made them stand up. Roman Sauvageot was hit with a 2-1 pitch leading off. He then stole second before Nelson ripped a single to left as Sauvageot scored what turned out to be the game-winner. Brode Brown and Xander Wilson drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and Drummond scored two with a double to right-center. Kannon Hildebrand’s bouncer through the left side chased home Wilson.

With the win, Bridgeport remains mathematically alive for the fourth – and final – playoff spot in OVAC Class 2A. The Bulldogs entered the game seventh, but less than six points behind No. 4 Shadyside, which lost 4-2 to Monroe Central on Wednesday. Bridgeport is scheduled to host Lisbon David Anderson Thursday, but Timko said the opponent called Monday and said they had a league game they had to play and wouldn’t make the trip to Belmont County.

“I really don’t know what that situation is,” Timko said. “The (OVAC) baseball commissioner told me if the game is scheduled, it has to be played or it is considered a forfeit.” The Bulldogs aren’t scheduled to play again until Monday, with the cut-off on Friday.

“We need to face pitching like that if we are to grow and mature and go where I believe we can go,” Cameron head coach Adam Angel said. “We have to grow up at the plate, but we start three freshmen and a kid that hasn’t played in three years, so we’ve got a lot of growing up to do.

“We had strung together a lot of wins, but I’m glad a day like today happened,” Angel continued. “You always learn something from losses and that is what we will take away from today. Their pitcher was good.”

Cameron has already clinched the top seed in the upcoming OVAC Class A playoffs. It had a comfortable lead over second-place Madonna entering the week. The Dragons travel to Vaccaro Field in Steubenville Thursday to face Steubenville Catholic.

The Dragons had run-ruled the Bulldogs 15-5 earlier this season.