BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Cason Pilcher drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh as the Bradford High School baseball team defeated visiting Crescent City 9-8 on March 20.
Bradford (5-7) took the early lead with a three-run third. Breion Johnson and Ryder Thompson each drew a walk, while Jeffrey Brugh singled, loading the bases with one out. Ryland Rike drove in one run with a single, while a balk allowed another run to score. Kacen Thomassen drove in the third run on a sacrifice fly.
It was 7-4 in favor of Crescent City when the Tornadoes scored four in the sixth. Mattox Burgin drew a walk, while Johnson was hit by a pitch. Blake Wynn then hit a single to load the bases. With two outs, Brugh cleared the bases with a triple, tying it at 7-7. Brugh later stole home to make it an 8-7 game.
The Raiders took advantage of a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 8-8 in the top of the seventh.
Thomassen led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk. Luke Stucky hit a single, followed by Burgin getting hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pilcher then stepped to the plate and took four straight balls to force the winning run in.
Brugh and Stucky each went 2 for 4, with Brugh finishing with three RBI.
Pilcher, Rike, Thomassen and Wynn each had one RBI.
Bradford travels to play Fort White on Tuesday, March 28, at 6 p.m. and host Baker County on Thursday, March 30, at 7 p.m. The Tornadoes then travel to play Keystone Heights on Tuesday, April 4, at 7 p.m.
