BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Denver Hudson, Ryland Rike and Luke Stucky each drove in two runs as part of a seven-run second inning, helping the Bradford High School baseball team defeat visiting Interlachen 12-2 in five innings on March 13.
Rike pitched all five innings, giving up six hits and striking out seven as the Tornadoes (5-3) snapped a two-game losing streak.
Interlachen scored the game’s first two runs with two outs in the second, taking advantage of three straight singles and a passed ball.
The Tornadoes had the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning when Jeffrey Brugh drew a walk to force a run in. Rike and Stucky then hit back-to-back doubles that scored two runs each, putting Bradford ahead 5-2. Mattox Burgin and Ryder Thompson each drew a walk to load the bases again, setting the stage for Hudson’s two-run single.
Bradford pushed four more runs across in the third to go up 11-2. Brugh and Rike walked, while Stucky was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Burgin hit a double that scored all three runners. An error on a pickoff attempt at second allowed Burgin to advance to third. He later scored on a wild pitch.
Stucky, who went 2 for 2, put an end to the game by the mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth. Brugh drew a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced to third on an error before scoring on Stucky’s walkoff single.
The Tornadoes entered the game off a 12-9 loss to visiting Middleburg on March 12.
The Tornadoes trailed 11-2 before scoring five runs in the sixth. The inning began with Thompson and Hudson hitting singles. After an out, Blake Wynn drew a walk to load the bases. Courtesy runner Matthew Stafford scored on a wild pitch. Brugh, after Jaron Hale walked, hit an RBI single. Wynn and Hale scored on an error and a passed ball, respectively, before Stucky hit an RBI single.
A rally in the bottom of the seventh fell short. Burgin hit a leadoff single, followed by Hudson hitting a one-out double. Burgin scored on a passed ball, while Hudson scored on an error.
Burgin went 3 for 5 with a double and an RBI. Hudson and Thompson went 2 for 3 and 2 for 4, respectively, with each hitting a double.
Wynn drove in two runs, while Stucky drove in one.
Bradford travels to play Keystone Heights on Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. and will host P.K. Yonge on Wednesday, March 20, at 7 p.m. The Tornadoes then travel to play Englewood on Thursday, March 21, at 6 p.m.
