CLEVELAND, Tenn. – When it comes to pitching, Bradley Central’s Bears have the wow factor.
After Gunnar Norwood stopped Soddy-Daisy on Tuesday with a sparkling two-hitter, Brandon Thompson fired a four-hit shutout as the Bears completed a two-game sweep of the Trojans to capture the District 5-3A regular season championship and a No. 1 berth for the league tournament.
In 14 innings between the district rivals, Soddy-Daisy managed six hits and one run against the dynamic Bears mound duo. Norwood and Thompson are both 10-0 on the season, all decisions coming in district play.
Thompson struck out five in Wednesday’s win at the Toby McKenzie Baseball Complex on the Bradley Central campus.
Bradley Central improved to 18-5 overall and 10-0 in the district. The Bears can finish off an unbeaten regular season by sweeping McMinn County on April 25-26. The 5-3A tournament is slated to begin on May 4 at Cleveland High School.
The Trojans fell to 15-5 overall and 7-3 in the district.
Bradley Central took a 1-0 lead in in the third inning.
Freshman Hunter drew a lead-off walk, went to second on Cason Still’s sacrifice bunt and to third on Jake Presley’s hit before scoring on Dylan Standifer’s hit.
Norwood triggered the fourth inning with a double. Courtesy runner Pete Williams moved to third on a Jeremiah Sims sacrifice bunt and Thompson’s sacrifice fly pushed Williams home with the second run.
Boxscore
Soddy-Daisy 000 000 0 – 0 3 1
Bradley Central 001 100 x – 2 4 1
WP – Brandon Thompson (5-0); LP – Colin Kearney.