CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Bradley Central seniors Madison Long and Kaitlyn Bailey had a ton to celebrate on Senior Night. The duo — along with being honored as departing seniors by teammates, coaches, family and friends — combined for a pitching shutout as the Bearettes defeated visiting Whitwell Wednesday at Bob McKenzie Field.
“We were really excited to come out here and honor and support our seniors and the fact that together they threw a shutout game today was awesome,” said Bearettes head coach Hallie Geren.
Long was credited with the win going four innings giving up just two hits while striking out five and walking one. Long handed the leather over to Bailey who came on in the top of the fifth to close out the victory. Bailey no-hit the Lady Tigers for two innings recording a pair of Ks and three free passes.
The pitching pair also got a ton of run support late as the Bearettes (14-18) broke loose with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to put an end to the evening with the run-rule victory.
The Bearettes begin District 6-4A tournament play Friday against Ooltewah. The tournament is being played at East Hamilton High School.
“We are so excited. We are going to play Ooltewah on Friday at 6:30 p.m.,” Geren forecast. “We're excited to come out and have our first official district game for the tournament.”
The Bearettes scored all the runs they needed in the bottom of the first beginning with a single to left field off the bat of Ma'Ryah Greenwood. Tori Cagle's sacrifice bunt led to Greenwood putting Bradley on top 1-0.
Bradley tacked on a second run in their at bat in the lower half of the second. Alliyssia Herbold opened with a single to left, took second on a swinging strike three and raced to third on a fielder's choice. Georgia Gibson brought Herbold home with a single to left to make it 2-0.
The Bearettes added another run in the bottom half of the fifth with an RBI single to center by Addi Staton that plated Hodge, who led off the inning with a double to center.
The Bearettes, working five innings to figure out Whitwell (13-13) pitcher Kailee Yarber, zeroed in on the Lady Tigers' hurler early in the sixth.
Madison Long started the beginning of the end reaching on a two out fielder's choice. Hodge and Cagle came through with back-to-back two baggers that made it a 5-0 game. A Staton RBI single to center and a Herbold RBI two bagger to left center upped the lead to 7-0. Herbold ended the night scoring on a misplayed fly to the outfield that made it an 8-0 final.
“We were really excited. It took us a while to catch up to their pitcher. She had a lot of good movement and she kept us on our toes,” acknowledged Geren. “But, when we finally got our bats going they just didn't stop. It was hit after hit after hit. Before the last inning I told them I wanted five base hits in a row and that's what they gave me.”
GAME SUMMARY
Whitwell 000 000 — 0 2 3
Bradley Central 110 015 — 8 14 2
WP: Madison Long LP: Kailee Yarber 2B: Yarber (W); Alliyssia Herbold, Tori Cagle (BC) Highlights: Mallory O'Neal 1-2 (W); Ma'Ryah Greenwood 2-4 RBI, Long RS, Lynlee Hodge 3-4 2RS Cagle 2-3 RS 3RBI, Addi Staton 2-4 RS 2RBI, Herbold 2-3 2RS RBI, Georgia Gibson 3-3 RBI (BC). Records: Whitwell 13-13; Bradley Central 14-18.
(Email Richard Roberts at richardvol55@yahoo.com)