District 6-4A leader Bradley Central wrapped up a key series sweep of East Hamilton with another mauling Thursday evening in a weather-shortened tangle, in Ooltewah.
Knocking just a half dozen hits to go with drawing a dozen free passes, the Bears roared to a 10-1 five-inning win.
The Bears (12-10) sit atop the district race with a 5-1 mark, while East Ham is now 12-12 overall and in third place in the conference with a 3-3 league mark. Both teams will wrap up district regular season play next week with Bradley squaring off with Howard and the Hurricanes battling Ooltewah ((14-8-1, 4-2) for second place.
BEARS 10, HURRICANES 1: Bradley jumped ahead with a pair of scores as Cleveland State signee Jaxon Humble opened the game with a single and stole second before Jaden Griffey drew a base on balls.
Junior Tyler Cook drove in the first run with a bunt single, while Griffey raced home on a wild pitch a few moments later.
The Bears put up a 5-spot in the top of the third on just two hits to go with a half dozen walks.
Bronson Stone and Humble had the RBI-hits, while Jonathan Alomar, Griffey and Cook drew bases-loaded base on balls.
Alomar worked another RBI-walk in the fourth, while Griffey delivered a two-out, two-run single to give the visitors double digits.
East Ham put its lone run on the board when Mason Wolcott opened the bottom of the fourth with a triple and then scored on a sac fly by Grayson Maddox.
Griffey, Cook and Alomar each reached base three times, with the former plating a trio of teammates, while the latter two also circled the bases and had a "ribbie" each. Humble finished 2-for-4, driving in one and scoring once.
Getting a third straight strong pitching performance, Bradley's Carter Bohlken struck out four, plus allowed just one hit and a pair of free passes in 3.1 innings before Drake Allen came on to get the final three outs.
GAME SUMMARY
District 6-4A
Thursday, April 10
at Ooltewah
Bradley Central 205 30 — 10 6 1
East Hamilton 000 10 — 1 1 1
WP: Carter Bohlken 3 IP, 4 Ks, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 hit, 1 ER. LP: Peyton Hunter 2.2 IP 6 Ks, 7 BB, 4 hits, 7 ER. 3B: Mason Wolcott (EH). Jaden Griffey 3, Bronson Stone, Jaxon Humble, Tyler Cook, Jonathan Alomar (BC); Grayson Maddox (EH). RECORDS: Bradley Central 12-10-1, 5-1 District 6-4A; East Hamilton 12-12, 3-3 District 6-4A.