Cardinals Run-Rule Grapevine Faith 12-2 in Emphatic Final Home Game
Fort Worth Christian defeated Grapevine Faith 12-2. Thu · Apr 23, 2026
Fort Worth Christian Cardinals baseball · 2026 season · District.
The Fort Worth Christian Cardinals capped off their final home game of the regular season in emphatic fashion, run-ruling Grapevine Faith Christian 12-2 on Thursday night at Cat Corden Field. With the crucial district victory, the Cardinals continued their red-hot streak of offensive dominance, treating the home crowd to fireworks in the first half of a back-to-back series.
Trailing early, the Cardinals flexed their power to seize the momentum. Jake Parkerson shifted the tide entirely when he demolished a majestic fly ball to deep left-center field. The towering home run cleared the wall, immediately giving Fort Worth Christian a 3-2 advantage that they would never relinquish. On the mound, Gregory Smeds did his part to keep the Lions at bay, notably delivering a clutch strikeout on a foul tip to fan J Survil.
From there, the FWC lineup simply overwhelmed Grapevine Faith. Braylen James broke the game wide open with a spectacular bases-clearing triple. Ripping a line drive past the right fielder, James easily plated Harry Allsup, Griffin Carney, and Grady Emerson to pad the lead. Late in the contest, Carney added his own exclamation point, dropping a pop-fly double into center field that drove in two more runs to stretch the gap to an imposing 11-2.
The Cardinals slammed the door in run-rule fashion thanks to their offensive catalyst, Grady Emerson. With the bases primed, Emerson laced a sharp line-drive single up the middle. The clutch knock scored Carney from second base, sealing the 12-2 walk-off victory and sending the home dugout into a frenzy.
Fort Worth Christian now hits the road for the final game of the regular season, traveling to face Grapevine Faith Christian in the back half of the district series on Friday, April 24. The Cardinals will look to complete the sweep and carry maximum momentum into the upcoming TAPPS playoffs.
Top plays
- Top of 5th, 2 out — J Survil is out on foul tip, Gregory Smeds pitching.
- Bottom of 5th, 1 out — Jake Parkerson homers on a fly ball to left field.
- Bottom of 5th, 2 out — Braylen James triples on a line drive to right fielder S Thompson, Harry Allsup scores, Griffin Carney scores, Grady Emerson scores.
- Bottom of 6th, 2 out — Griffin Carney doubles on a pop fly to center fielder J Walker, Andrew Ridgell scores, Harry Allsup scores.
- Bottom of 6th, 2 out — Grady Emerson singles on a line drive to center fielder J Walker, Griffin Carney scores.