Bouncing back from dropping its opening game to No.2-seed Ooltewah, third-seeded Bradley Central kept its season alive with a "run-rule" victory over Howard at the District 6-4A Softball Tournament, at Warner Park.
Getting shutout by the Lady Owls 4-0 Monday, Coach Caden Ricketts' first Bearette squad needed just four frames to claim a 12-2 tally to end the Lady Tiger season Tuesday evening.
Bradley (16-15) will return to Chattanooga for a rematch with Ooltewah (26-7) in the loser's bracket final this evening, looking to advance to face top-seed East Hamilton (17-9) for the second straight season with the district crown on the line.
The eighth-ranked Lady Hurricanes blanked the Lady Owls 7-0 behind a nine-strikeout, two-hitter by Yulai Woodruff in the circle Tuesday to advance to the title tilt.
The Bearettes edge Ooltewah 9-8 in an extra inning in their first meeting of the regular season, before dropping the second 9-3.
The top two teams advance to the Region 3-4A Tournament on Monday at the home of District 5-4A champ Walker Valley.
BEARETTES 12, LADY TIGERS 2: Bradley junior hurler Gracie Ownby fired a one-hitter and didn't give up an earned run to send Howard (10-12), which put a 10-6 scare into East Ham in Monday's opening round, packing with a respectable 10-12 overall record on the campaign.
After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Bearette bats exploded for three runs in the first and third frames, before ending the contest early with a half dozen more scores in the bottom of the fourth.
The Fakas sisters led the Bradley attack with a perfect night at the dish. Freshman Khloe went 3-for-3, with a pair of runs batted in, plus she made the circle twice, while junior Karly was 2-of-2, with a pair of walks, a "ribbie" and scored s couple of times as well.
Bryan College signee Lynlee Hodge went 3-for-4, plating a couple of teammates, plus completing the circuit herself, while junior Tori Cagle stroked the game's only extra-base hit with a double, plus she knocked a one-base hit, scored twice and drove in a run.
Sophomore Presleigh Sanders had just one hit in the victory, but cleared teh bases for a trio of RBI, with junior Alliyssia Herbold ripping a single, getting hit with a pitch and came around to score.
Sophomores Addie Staton and Ma'Ryah Greenwood both helped out with a hit and came around to score, while Ownby drew a RBI-walk.
LADY OWLS 4, BEARETTES 0: In a pitcher's duel Ooltewah's Jaeda Tucker fired a two-hit shutout, with eight strikeouts and no walks, while Bradley junior Kaylee Callahan also had eight Ks, but gave up five hits and five free passes, but just three earned runs.
Khloe Farkas and Cagle managed the only two Bearette hits as Tucker faced just two batters over the minimum.
Kaylin Leblanc led the way for Ooltewah, driving in a trio of teammates with a double, while Kaleigh Balla went 2-for-3 with a couple of runs scored. Tucker helped her own cause with a hit, walk and RBI.
GAME SUMMARY
District 6-4
SB Tournament
Tuesday, May 5
at Warner Park
Chattanooga
Elimination Game
Howard 100 1 — 2 1 2
Bradley Central 303 6 — 12 14 2
WP: Gracie Ownby 4 IP, 2 Ks, 1 BB, 1 hit, 0 ER. LP: Kamari Thomas 3.2 IP, 0 K, 3 BB, 14 hits, 12 ER. 2B: Tori Cagle (BC). RBI: Eunique Hamilton, Thomas (H); Presleigh Sanders 3, Khloe Farkas 2, Lynlee Hodge 2, Karly Farkas, Cagle, Ownby (BC). RECORDS: Howard 10-12; Bradley Central 16-15.
Monday, May 4
Opening Round
Bradley Central 000 000 0 — 0 2 1
Ooltewah 001 300 x — 4 5 0
WP: Jaeda Tucker 7 IP, 8 Ks, 0 BB, 2 hits, 0 ER. LP: Kaylee Callahan 6 IP, 9 K, 5 BB, 5 hits, 3 ER. 2B: Kaylin Leblanc, Tucker (O). RBI: BC none; Leblanc 3, Tucker (O). RECORDS: Bradley Central 15-15; Ooltewah 26-6.