BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Avery Burgin drove in two runs, while pitcher Matthew Stafford struck out 13 in the Bradford High School baseball team’s 3-0 win over Covenant School of Jacksonville on Feb. 14 in Starke.
Stafford, who allowed only three hits, put the exclamation mark on the Tornadoes’ first win by striking out three straight after he hit the leadoff batter in the top of the seventh.
Bradford (1-1) had two outs with no one on in the bottom of the first when Ryder Thompson hit a double. Cannon Sapp, with a 2-1 count, took two straight balls to walk and keep the inning going. After Thompson advanced to third on a wild pitch, Burgin drove the second pitch he saw into center field, scoring both runners.
The Tornadoes threatened to score in the second. Stafford walked with one out and no one on. Kyler Hall entered as a courtesy runner, stealing second and, after Bradford’s second out, advancing to third on a wild pitch. A fly out ended the inning.
Covenant had a runner in scoring position in the third when Ryne Fennel hit a one-out single and then stole second. Stafford struck out two straight to leave him stranded.
Bradford put its first two batters on in the bottom of the fourth, with Sapp walking and Burgin hitting a single. The Tornadoes were unable to capitalize, with two batters striking out and a baserunner getting caught in a rundown.
The Warriors’ Logan Kogut hit a double to lead off the top of the fifth. After Stafford struck out the next batter, Kogut went to third on a passed ball. Stafford then struck out another batter. Fennel did draw a walk to keep the inning going, but a fly ball to right fielder Kaedan Parks resulted in the third out.
Ryland Rike hit a one-out double for Bradford in the bottom of the fifth. He advanced to third on a Patrick Pendarvis ground out and scored on an error, giving the Tornadoes their final run.
Rike and Burgin each finished 2 for 3. The rest of the team went 2 for 15 against Covenant pitchers Randy Parker and Landon Jones. Parker, who started, gave up six hits and struck out six in five innings.
The Tornadoes travel to play Gainesville on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. and then travel to play Yulee on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 6:30 p.m. Bradford hosts Interlachen on Friday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. and then hosts Hilliard on Monday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, Feb. 25, the Tornadoes travel to play Hamilton County at 6 p.m.
