BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Keegan Yowell hit two home runs, while Regan Bradley hit a grand slam in the Bradford High School softball team’s 14-5 win over visiting Buchholz on March 31.
It was the third win in four games for the Tornadoes (5-5), who play at Bishop Snyder on Wednesday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m.
Buchholz took a 3-0 lead, but Bradford scored seven in the bottom of the first. Amber Wynn, Kallie Yowell and Addyson Hinds all walked to load the bases with one out, with Summer Sutton then hitting a single to drive in a run. After Tayrn Flowers ground into a fielder’s choice, which resulted in Yowell being put out at home, Adams stepped up to bat. She fell behind 0-2 in the count, but worked it to a full count before blasting a pitch over the fence in left to put the Tornadoes up 5-3.
The inning continued, with Bradford loading the bases again. Kolee Lemire and Kingslee Phillips singled and walked, respectively, while Keegan Yowell was hit by a pitch. Wynn then hit a single that plated two and made it a 7-3 game.
A four-run third for Bradford began with Phillips walking. Keegan Yowell then hit an 0-2 pitch over the fence in left. Wynn, who followed with a triple, scored on a Kallie Yowell single. Yowell later scored on a ground out by Flowers.
The Bobcats put two runs on the board in the top of the fifth on a Jordyn Cooper home run with no outs. Pitcher Bailey Smith got out of the inning, catching a pop-up from the next batter and causing two of the next three batters to hit infield pop-ups that were caught by Keegan Yowell at shortstop and Sutton at first base.
Bradford scored two runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth. Hinds and Sutton were both hit by pitches, while a walk drawn by Flowers loaded the bases. Adams hit an RBI single, followed by a Lemire ground out that allowed another run to score.
Keegan Yowell, who finished 3 for 4 with three RBI, hit a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the sixth for the game’s final run.
Adams batted 3 for 4 also and had five RBI, while Wynn went 2 for 4 with two RBI.
Hinds and Kallie Yowell batted 3 for 3 and 2 for 4, respectively, with Yowell driving in one run.
Flowers, Lemire and Sutton each finished with one RBI.
Smith pitched a complete game, giving up 10 hits and just three walks.
The Tornadoes host North Marion on Friday, April 4, at 7 p.m. and will travel to play Newberry on Monday, April 7, at 6 p.m. Bradford returns home to play Tocoi Creek on Wednesday, April 9, at 6 p.m.
