BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Host Bradford High School hit four home runs, but the Union County softball team scored six runs in the top of the seventh that proved to be the difference in the Tigers’ 22-16 win on March 14.
Emma Handley hit a two-run single as part of the Tigers’ big final inning and finished 5 for 6 with four RBI.
Every batter but one in Union’s lineup drove in at least two runs.
Despite the loss, it was a big night for Bradford’s Addyson Hinds and Kallie Yowell, with each hitting two home runs. Hinds, who went 2 for 5, drove in a total of six runs, with one of her homers being a grand slam.
Yowell went 3 for 4 with four RBI.
The Tigers’ Mia Kent hit a two-run double as part of a five-run first inning for Union, but the Tornadoes cut their deficit to three in the bottom of the inning. Keegan Yowell was hit by a pitch and moved to second on Amber Wynn’s sacrifice bunt before Kallie Yowell drove a pitch over the fence in right.
Bradford took a 9-5 lead with a seven-run second. Summer Sutton hit a leadoff single, followed by walks to Regan Adams and Kolee Lemire to load the bases. Kingslee Phillips and Wynn each hit an RBI single, while Keegan Yowell was hit by a pitch to force a run in. Hinds then hit her grand slam, driving the first pitch she saw over the fence in left.
Union answered with its own big inning, scoring eight in the top of the third. The Tigers loaded the bases, with Campbell Webb and Brooke Hunt each hitting a single and Leanne Dicks walking. Jaydin Alvarez hit into a fielder’s choice, driving in one run. Kent hit a single before Jailyn Simmons drew a bases-loaded walk. Handley and Mackenzie Orton then hit back-to-back two-run singles.
The final two runs of the inning came on a Hunt sacrifice fly and a Dicks single, putting the Tigers up 13-9.
It was 14-10 before the Tornadoes got back-to-back solo home runs from Yowell and Hinds in the fifth, cutting Union’s lead to two.
Shyla Crowe hit a two-run single in the top of the sixth to put the Tigers ahead 16-12, but Bradford answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. A Phillips single and walks drawn by Wynn and Keegan Yowell loaded the bases. Hinds drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, while Tayrn Flowers followed with a two-run double, making it a 16-15 game.
Alvarez and Kent both walked to lead off the Tigers’ half of the seventh. A Simmons single loaded the bases before Handley hit a two-run single. Crowe walked to load the bases. Webb and Hunt both walked as well to force in two runs. Dicks hit an RBI single, while Alvarez brought home Union’s final run on a sacrifice fly.
The Tornadoes had two on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. After a Wynn single scored a run, Keegan Yowell kept the inning going with another single.
Union ended the game when shortstop Orton fielded a ground ball and threw to third baseman Crowe for the final out.
Alvarez, Dicks and Hunt each finished with three RBI. Dicks and Hunt had multiple hits, with Dicks batting 4 for 5 and Hunt going 2 for 4.
Webb went 2 for 3 with two RBI, while Crowe, while Kent was 2 for 4 with two RBI.
Orton had two RBI.
Bradford’s Flowers, Phillips, Wynn each had two RBI, with Phillips and Wynn each batting 3 for 4. Flowers went 2 for 3.
Sutton finished 3 for 5.
The Tornadoes (4-5) travel to play Hawthorne on Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m. Bradford then hosts Buchholz on Monday, March 31, at 6:30 p.m. before traveling to play Bishop Snyder on Wednesday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m.
See related post for more Union results and the Tigers’ upcoming schedule.
