BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Luke Johns pitched a complete-game no-hitter in the Union County High School baseball team’s 7-0 win over Bradford on April 21 in Starke.
The Tigers improved to 11-8 as Johns struck out nine, while walking only one.
Bradford starter Cason Pilcher had a solid outing as well, but a number of errors had him exiting the game after five innings trailing 6-0. He gave up one earned run on six hits and two walks.
Union scored the only run it would need in the top of the first. Leadoff batter Quinten Rawls reached on an error. Two outs later, Tre’von Lee reached on an error as well. An Ayden Elixson single scored Rawls.
Bradford’s Brayden Smyth reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the first. However, he was caught in a rundown on a Johns pickoff attempt at first. Smyth was eventually tagged out by first baseman Ethan Moody. Johns then recorded his second strikeout of the inning for the third out.
Rawls and Jake O’Steen hit back-to-back one-out singles for the Tigers in the third inning. Rawls scored on Jay Cohen’s sacrifice fly.
The Tornadoes’ Foster Smith reached on error to lead off the bottom of the third. He advanced to third on sacrifice bunts by Kacen Thomassen and Brady Pearson. Rawls, from his shortstop position, caught a line drive to end the inning.
Union’s Trevor Holtzendorf reached on error with one out in the fourth and was able to advance to second on the play. Blake Agner then hit a double to score courtesy runner Jeff Cook to make the score 3-0. Johns reached on an error, followed by Rawls getting hit by a pitch. Agner scored on O’Steen’s sacrifice fly, while courtesy runner Haiden Berringer scored when Cohen reached on an error, making it a 6-0 game.
The final run was scored in the top of the seventh. Elixson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. He advanced to second on a passed ball and stole third before scoring when Eli Rimes hit into a fielder’s choice.
Lee finished as the Tigers’ only multi-hit batter, going 2 for 4.
Union, which finished with seven hits in all, return to action Tuesday, April 26, in a home game against Fort White at 6 p.m.
The Tornadoes (1-15-1) travel to play Baker County on Tuesday, April 26, at 7 p.m.
