After having to wait a day to open the District 6-4A race, Bradley Central got past Ooltewah 5-2 Tuesday evening, at Bud Ball Field.
After a couple of scoreless innings to open the contest, Bradley (8-9-1, 1-0 District 6-4A) got on the scoreboard first with a solo run in the top of the third when a two-out single by senior Spane Bristol brought in junior Jaden Griffey, who also had a one-base knock.
Ooltewah (10-7-1, 0-1) wasn't able to get the goose egg off the home side of the board until the fifth inning, when back-to-back, one-out free passes set up a bases-loaded sac fly by Brock Smallen to home Asa McMillon, who had been hit by a pitch.
The Bears broke open the game with a four-run rally in the top of the sixth.
An Owl error and back-to-back walks jammed the sacks for the visitors before Bronson Stone brought in Bristol, who had reached on the miscue, with a ground out.
Senior Jonathan Alomar "walked the line" to reload the bases, before a single by Cleveland State signee Jaxon Humble brought in Chris Gordon and Carson Stott, who had both walked. After a sac bunt by Griffey, Alomar scored the final Bear run on a wild pitch.
Ooltewah tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh as a Bradley miscue allowed Jackson Riggins to reach base and then come around to score when Smallen laced a double before the final two Owls struck out.
Junior Tyler Cook picked up the pitching victory, firing the first five frames for the Bears, allowing just one hit, while striking out four, but walking three and "plunking" a pair and giving up an earned run.
Carter Bohlken, also an 11th-grader, took the hill for the final two frames, notching a trio of Ks, all in the bottom of the seventh, while giving up a hit, walking one and hitting another while earning a save.
Junior Luke Parr took the pitching loss, tossing five innings, striking out seven, but walking five and allowing four hits, but only one earned run.
GAME SUMMARY
District 6-4A
Tuesday, April 2
at Bud Ball Field
Bradley Central 001 004 0 — 5 5 1
Ooltewah 000 010 1 — 2 2 1
WP: Tyler Cook 5 IP, 4 Ks, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 1 hit, 1 ER. LP: Parr 5 IP, 7 Ks, 5 BB, 4 hits, 1 ER. Save: Carter Bohlken 2 IP, 3 Ks, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 hit, 1 ER. 2B: Smallen (O). RBI: Jackson Humble 2, Spane Bristol (BC); Smallen 2 (O). BEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Bristol 1-3, BB, RBI, RS; Humble 1-4, 2 RBI; Jaden Griffey 1-3, RS; Carson Stott 3 BB; Colby Sott 1-3, BB, RS; Jonathan Alomar 1-2, BB, RS. RECORDS: Bradley Central 8-9-1, 1-0 District 6-4A; Ooltewah 10-7-1, 0-1 District 6-4A.