By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
The late schedule changes didn’t change the focus of Union City High School softball and baseball Friday.
Both Tornado squads were victorious against fill-in foes, UC softball rallying past Gibson County 15-8 and the Twister baseball team beating Bradford 4-1.
The win served as the season-opener for the Lady Tornadoes, who’d had their Thursday debut washed out and Saturday games slated for Stewart County also called off due to weather. GC became a substitute opponent around noon on Friday.
UC baseball, which has had to essentially overhaul its entire schedule with the cancellation of both the L.H. Ladd Memorial and Final Flight Classic the next two weeks due to the coronavirus health concern, is now 3-0 after beating Bradford in a late-added non-district game.
The two teams will now play 13A contests Monday and Tuesday.
In other spring sports results from Friday involving Union City entries, the middle school tennis teams made first-year head coach Ellen Hopkins a winner in her inaugural matches against Augustine. The girls’ team recorded a 3-0 shutout, while the boys triumphed 3-1.
Both UC soccer teams came up short in their respective matches, the high school Tornadoes edged 2-1 by Ripley and the middle school team losing 9-0 to visiting Paris Inman.
The UCMS baseball team dropped an 11-1 decision to Inman Saturday in the Hulme Classic at Paris.
The following are highlights from those competitions:
SOFTBALL
UC 15, GC 8
Sophie Theobald had a monster game, driving in six runs with three hits – including a pair of triples – to help the Lady Tornadoes erase an early 5-1 deficit in winning their opener.
Theobald also scored three times.
A seven-run second, three runs in the third and four more in the fifth represented a stretch of 14 unanswered runs by UC.
Winning pitcher Kallie Worrell doubled twice and drove in a run, Anna Lynn Cheatham recorded a pair of ribbies, and Avery Decker scored three times for the Lady Twisters. Sara Ullrich crossed the plate twice and drove in a run to aid the winning cause.
Worrell fanned four in five innings to get credit for the circle victory. Cheatham also struck out four in two innings of relief.
UC is scheduled to host Halls Monday at 5 p.m.
BASEBALL
UC 4, Bradford 1
Austin Brundige and Caleb Garland combined on a two-hitter with eight strikeouts for the Tornadoes, who scored twice in the first and once more in the second and fourth innings.
Brundige, a sophomore, struck out three in pitching the first four innings to get the win. Garland, who threw first-pitch strikes to nine of 11 Bradford hitters, notched the save after fanning five in three frames.
UC made the most of just three singles. The Twisters did have four batters hit by pitches.
Sam Theobald singled and drove in a run, while Dalton Bone scored and had an RBI. Gannon Searcy singled and scored and Gunner Cheatham recorded a ribbie.
Monday’s varsity game with Bradford at Elam Stadium is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.
MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 3, Augustine 0 (G)
UC 3, Augustine 1 (B)
The Lady Tornadoes gave up just three games in three matches to sweep the visitors.
Mimi Jenkins’ shutout of Claire Windham was the widest of those margins.
The boys’ doubles match in which Finn Frankum and Grissom Hutchinson outlasted Ethan Williams and Malachi Helverton 9-7 in a tie-breaker highlighted the Tornado boys’ victory.
The two schools will meet again Wednesday at 4 at Augustine.
Girls
Singles
Shelby Bondurant (UC) defeated Claira Revelle (A) 8-2
Mimi Jenkins (UC) defeated Claire Windham (A) 8-0
Doubles
Davey Frankum/Lexi Petty (UC) defeated Claira Revelle/ Claire Windham (A) 8-1
Boys
Singles
Ben Wade (UC) defeated Ethan Williams (A) 8-0
Jack Tulley (UC) Lucas Windham (A) 8-3
Jeremy Rice (UC) lost to Nick Tankersley (A) 6-8
Doubles
Finn Frankum/Grissom Hutchinson (UC) defeated Ethan Williams/Malachi Yelverton (A) 9-7 (tie-breaker)
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER
Ripley 2, UC 1
The Tornadoes scored first on Marvin Regalado’s penalty kick but couldn’t hold on.
Ripley’s goal at 12:57 of the second half proved to be the difference and dropped UC to 0-2 on the young season.
Preston Simpson made multiple diving saves to keep the Twisters in contention, and Simpson ended up with a half-dozen saves in all.
Union City had four shots on goal, compared to eight for Ripley.
The Tornadoes will play at Obion Central on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER
Inman 9, UC 0
Union City saw the Paris entry ruin its opener at War Memorial Stadium.
Inman led 4-0 at the half.
Elijah Johnson did record nine saves in goal for the Tornadoes.
UC plays host to Obion County Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL
Inman 11, UC 1
The Tornadoes got on the board in their first at-bat when Logan Vincent walked and scored on a Skylar Hall hit.
That proved to be Union City’s only offense, though, as the Twisters got only one other single – that by Barrett Cox.
Will Ragsdale, the starter and first of three UC pitchers, was saddled with the loss. Kyler Southerland and Cox both came on in relief.
Now 1-3, Union City is slated to host Inman on Tuesday.