Telegraph Staff Writer
Kirsten Hodges had three hits and gave the Bradford High School softball team the lead for good with an RBI single in the sixth as the Tornadoes defeated visiting Orange Park 11-7 on April 14.
Bradford (11-5) fell behind 6-0, but tied the score with six runs in the bottom of the second. With one out, Hodges singled, while Madison Highland and Makayla Moore drew walks to load the bases. After a strikeout for the second out, Rylie Blankenship drove in a run on a single. Allie Funderburk then hit a double to plate another two, while Blankenship scored on a passed ball. Cassidy Spratlin and Masey Padgett hit RBI singles to make the score 6-6.
It was a 7-7 game going into the bottom of the sixth. The Tornadoes had the bases loaded with one out when Hodges hit a single to put Bradford up 8-7. Padgett scored on a wild pitch before Highland and Blankenship each hit an RBI single.
Hodges finished 3 for 4 with one RBI, while Blankenship was 3 for 5 with three RBI.
Funderburk drove in two runs, while Highland, who went 2 for 3, drove in one.
Padgett and Spratlin each had one RBI also.
Spratlin earned the win, giving up four runs (one earned) on four hits through six innings.
Bradford entered the game off five-RBI performances by Funderburk and Padgett in a 21-5, four-inning win at Lake Weir on April 12.
The Tornadoes scored nine runs in the first, including three on Padgett’s bases-loaded triple. Funderburk and Teagan Bradley each had an RBI single in the inning, while Takeirra Bakken drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Two runs were scored when Blankenship and Highland drew bases-loaded walks, while another scored when Blakeleigh Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Funderburk hit a bases-loaded triple to score three runs as part of a seven-run second. Padgett hit an RBI double and scored on a steal of home, while Blankenship and Smith each drove in a run on a single.
A five-run fourth featured a sacrifice-fly RBI by Blankenship, run-scoring double by Padgett and a run-scoring single by Funderburk, who scored the final run on a steal of home. A run was also scored when Bradley walked with the bases loaded.
Funderburk and Padgett went 3 for 4 and 3 for 5, respectively, while Blankenship went 2 for 2 with three RBI.
Starting pitcher Blankenship gave up five runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks through three innings. She struck out three.
Bakken pitched the final inning, giving up no hits and striking out one.
The Tornadoes travel to play Columbia on Tuesday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m. and will host Interlachen on Senior Night on Friday, April 22, at 7 p.m. Bradford travels to play Bolles on Monday, April 25, at 5 p.m. and then travels to play Bishop Snyder on Tuesday, April 26, at 6 p.m.
