Getting off to a strong start paid big dividends as No. 3-seed Bradley Central held off a late rally to knock off top-seed Ooltewah in the District 6-4A Baseball Championship game Monday, at Bud Ball Field.
"Great team win in the finals!" proclaimed veteran Bear head coach Travis Adams of the 5-4 victory. "Drake (Allen) fought hard to keep their line up in check and we played sound defense, scoring those runs early and executing ended up being pivotal.
"Tyler (Cook) coming in to close was also huge for us.
These games will get tougher this time of year and look forward to our guys stepping up."
"Jaxon Humble had an amazing district tournament and continued that performance (2-for-2, 2 BB, 3B, RS) at the plate as well."
"We're glad to win the district again, but we know no matter who we play in the region it will be tough. There are no easy teams this time of year," he added.
Claiming their third straight district crown, the Bears (17-16-1) will battle the loser of tonight's District 5-4A title tilt between Walker Valley (16-17) and Cleveland (25-8), in Friday's Region 3-4A semifinals later this week.
The Owls (21-11) will square off with the Mustang-Blue Raider victor in the other semifinal battle.
The region schedule is yet to be worked out as Walker Valley has graduation Thursday, Cleveland Friday and Bradley Saturday evenings. The top two teams will advance to the TSSAA Sectional best-of-3 series, May 14-17.
BEARS 5, OWLS 4: Bradley wasted no time getting the scoring started as Cleveland State signee Jaxon Humble opened the game by toasting the Ooltewah right fielder for a triple.
Junior Jaden Griffey followed with a double to drive him in before classmate Tyler Cook laced a single to put runners on the corners.
Senior Carson Stott and classmate Landon Rogers then both reached on back-to-back Owls errors, bringing in Griffey and Cook for a 3-0 edge before the hosts came to bat.
Despite giving up a double to Ooltewah leadoff Drew Cook in the bottom of the first, Bradley starter Drake Allen started strong, not only picking him off, but another baserunner in the second, while striking out four other Owl batters in the opening two hometown at bats.
Three straight one-out singles in the top of the third by Bears Colby Stott, Bronson Stone and Spane Bristol set the stage for Bradley's other runs. Bristol drove in courtesy runner Paxton King (for Stott), while Stone came home after another Ooltewah miscue.
After Allen set them down in order in the bottom of the third, the Owls were finally able to get the goose egg off the bottom of the scoreboard in the fourth frame.
Brock Smallen and Asa McMillon sandwiched singles around a pop out before the former came in on a fielder's choice grounder by Cade Richardson.
After a scoreless fifth frame the saw the teams combine to leave five "ducks on the pond," Ooltewah put up a 3-spot in the bottom of the sixth to make the visitors sweat.
Gavin Fields opened the rally with a base on balls and after a strikeout, Richardson was hit by a pitch before Caleb Henson loaded the bags with a single. Conner Reilly and Luke Riggins drew RBI-walks before Wood scored Riggins on a fielder's choice to close the gap to a single run.
That was as close as the hosts would come as Cook took the mound for the final 1.2 innings, not allowing a hit while getting the final five outs in a row, including a pair of seventh-inning strikeouts, to earn the save.
Allen picked up the win with five Ks in five innings on the bump, scattering four hits and a half dozen free passes, but just the one earned run.
Humble led the nine-hit Bear bat attack, going 2-for-2, plus drawing a couple of walks and scoring once.
Griffey reached thrice with a single and base on balls to go with his two-bagger, plus he plated one and scored once. The Stott twins both had a single, with Carson also "walking the line," while Colby notched a "ribbie."
Along with giving away eight free passes and committing a couple of fielding errors, Bradley stranded 14 base runners.
Ooltewah managed just five hits of a trio of Bradley hurlers, with Wood's two-bagger the lone extra-base knock. The Owls left just a trio of runners on base.
GAME SUMMARY
District 6-4A
Tournament
Championship Game
Monday, May 4
at Bud Ball Field
Bradley Central 302 000 0 — 5 9 1
Ooltewah 000 103 0 — 4 5 3
WP: Drake Allen 5 IP, 5 Ks, 2 BB, 2 HBP, 4 hits, 1 ER. LP: Drew Wood 1.1 IP, 1 K, 0 BB, 1HBP, 4 hits, 1 ER. Save: Tyler Cook 1.2 IP, 2 Ks, 1 BB, 0 hits, 0 ER. 3B: Jaxon Humble (BC). 2B: Jadon Griffey (BC); Wood (O). RBI: Griffey, Carson Stott, Spane Bristol (BC); Wood, Richardson, Reilly, Riggins (O). RECORDS: Bradley Central 17-16-1; Ooltewah 21-11.