BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Cason Pilcher went the distance on the mound, striking out a personal-record 16 batters in the Bradford High School baseball team’s 5-0 win over visiting Parker on Feb. 29.
Pilcher, who struck out the first nine batters he faced, allowed just two hits, both of which occurred in the top of the fifth. He walked none.
Denver Hudson, who reached on an error in the second, scored on a ground ball hit by Blake Wynn.
The score remained unchanged until the Tornadoes (3-1) pushed three across in the fourth. The first two batters of the inning struck out before Luke Stucky hit a single. An error on the play allowed Stucky to advance all the way to third. He scored on a passed ball.
Ryland Rike kept the inning going with a single. He appeared to be caught in a rundown between first and second while Mattox Burgin was batting, but the visiting Braves committed an error in trying to get Rike out, allowing him to score.
Burgin drew a walk and scored on a double by Ryder Thompson, putting Bradford ahead 4-0.
Thompson finished 2 for 3 at the plate.
Patrick Pendarvis, who also went 2 for 3, scored the final run. He drew a walk in the fifth, advanced on Wynn’s ground out and crossed home plate on Jaron Hale’s sacrifice fly.
The Tornadoes entered the game off a 4-2 win at Middleburg on Feb. 27.
Bradford had only three hits, but two were RBI doubles hit by Thompson. The second double was part of a two-run fifth that proved to be the difference.
Stucky pitched a complete game, giving up six hit and no walks, while striking out six.
The Tornadoes travel to play Eastside on Tuesday, March 5, at 7 p.m. and will host Fort White on Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m. Bradford travels to play Baker County on Friday, March 8, at 7 p.m. before returning home to play Middleburg on Tuesday, March 12, at 7 p.m.
On Wednesday, March 13, the Tornadoes host Interlachen at 7 p.m.
