CLEVELAND, Tenn. — As always when Cleveland and Bradley Central clash in athletic competition there was plenty of wild action Thursday evening, at Brenda Lawson Field.
While the crosstown clash softball matchup saw 32 base runners, it was some big defensive highlights that had Lady Raider fans cheering the loudest.
"It was a really good battle between two good teams," proclaimed first-year Cleveland head coach LeeAnne Shurette after the 5-2 victory.
"We didn’t capitalize early leaving bases loaded (in both of the first two innings), but I was proud of my team’s fight to score those (two) insurance runs in the sixth inning.
"I thought my defense played tough and made some big plays to get us out of the jams to end their threats," she said after one Bearette was thrown out at the plate in the sixth inning and the game ending on a diving catch of a foul ball against the block wall just in front of the Lady Raider dugout.
Cleveland (12-11) is playing in the Choo Choo Classic this weekend in Chattanooga, before traveling to McMinn County Tuesday for a key District 5-4A battle.
Bradley (11-15-1) will journey to Signal Mountain Monday and Meigs County Friday, plus host McMinn Central Tuesday.
LADY RAIDERS 5, BEARETTES 2: Cleveland got the scoring started in the bottom of the first frame when junior Brylee Cisco stroked the first of her two doubles and later came home when classmate Klaire Hall "took one for the team" with the bases loaded.
The Lady Raiders tacked on two more scores in the third when Hall drew a one-out walk and Columbia State commit Aspen Tipton-Williams ripped the first of her pair of two-baggers, and later came home herself on a Bearette error.
After being held to just a walk and a single in their first three at bats, Bradley got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth when junior Tori Cagle blasted a two-run shot well over the left field fence, plating classmate Karly Farkas, who had reached on a Cleveland miscue.
Freshman Khloe Farkas and sophomore Presleigh Sanders followed with back-to-back singles, but were stranded as the at bats final two outs were recorded.
The Bearettes got a pair of baserunners on in the top of the sixth when Cagle singled and the younger Farkas sister ripped a double down the right field line to open the at bat.
When Sanders followed with a fly ball to left, Cagle tried to score but was gunned down by Tipton-Williams on a perfect throw to catcher Lilly Mason.
The next batter grounded out to end the threat.
Cleveland added a couple of runs in the bottom of the frame when Cicso laced a two-bagger down the right field line and freshman Ariyah Huffman beat out her second bunt of the game.
Cisco was able to score on a Bearette miscue, while Huffman came home on a single to the base of the center field fence by senior Allison Farnsworth.
Bradley threatened again in the game's final at bat. After freshman Huntlee Dennison notched her sixth strike out, Huffman stabbed a hard-hit line drive in the hot corner.
Bearettes Lynlee Hodge, who recently signed with Bryan College, and junior Alliyssia Herbold followed with back-to-back singles, but Huffman ended the game by diving to snag a short foul pop up with a diving catch before it hit the wall.
Cleveland knocked 10 hits, including three from Sico and two each by Tipton-Williams, Huffman and Farnsworth, but left 10 "ducks on the pond."
Bradley collected nine hits with a couple each from Cagle and Khloe Farkas, but stranded nine runners.
Dennsion worked out of several jams for the complete-game pitching victory, while the Bearettes sent a trio of hurlers to the circle, notching four Ks and issuing a half dozen free passes.
GAME SUMMARY
Thursday, April 17
at Brenda McKenzie Field
Bradley Central 000 200 0 — 2 9 2
Cleveland 102 002 x — 5 10 1
WP: Huntlee Dennison 7 IP, 6 Ks, 1 BB, 9 hits, 1 ER. LP: Kaylee Callahan 1 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 3 hits, 1 ER. HR: Tori Cagle (BC). 2B: Khloe Farkas (BC); Brylee Cisco 2, Aspen Tipton-Williams 2, Allison Farnsworth (C). RBI: Cagle 2 (BC); Farnsworth, Tipton-Williams, Klaire Hall (C). RECORDS: Bradley Central 11-15-1; Cleveland 12-11.