BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Patrick Pendarvis scored the winning run on passed ball in the sixth inning as the Bradford High School baseball team defeated visiting P.K. Yonge 5-4 on April 8 to close out the regular season.
The Tornadoes (11-12) scored four runs in the sixth. Ryder Thompson, Taylor Bice and Matthew Stafford all walked to load the bases. Ryland Rike hit a double into left to score two runs. Pendarvis reached on a fielder’s choice that resulted in Stafford being put out at home. Rike scored on a steal of home to tie it at 4-4 before Pendarvis scored the go-ahead run.
Rike, whose double was just one of four hits for Bradford, started on the mound, giving up two earned runs, seven hits and just one walk through five innings. He had nine strikeouts.
Stafford earned the win, allowing no runs and two hits in the final two innings.
Bradford is the third seed in the District 5-3A tournament and will travel to play second seed Palatka in a semifinal game on Tuesday, April 15, at 6 p.m. If the Tornadoes win, they’ll either travel to play top seed Santa Fe or host fourth seed Eastside for the championship on Thursday, April 17, at 6 p.m.
