By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City Middle School advanced in the Northwest Tennessee Middle School Baseball Conference Tournament the old-fashioned way.
The Tornadoes earned it.
Scoring twice in the top of the 11th, UC moved into the postseason semifinals with a thrilling 3-1 extra-inning win at Trinity Christian Academy Tuesday night.
The win was the third in as many meetings with the Lions this season for the Twisters (14-10), who’ll play at Dyersburg in the tourney semifinals today at 5:30 p.m.
The Purple and Gold got spectacular pitching from Logan Vincent and Ben Kail and a clutch tie-breaking hit from Vincent in the 11th that scored Jamarious Abbott to post the memorable win.
“I’ve played and seen a lot of baseball games in my life, but this one might rank at the top,” Union City head coach Bill Kail said afterward. “We were faced with adversity time and time again, and we made play after play to get out of innings.
“I’m super proud of the team and the way they handled themselves to pull off a big tournament win.”
Abbott walked, stole second and was sacrificed to third by Ben Kail to set up Vincent’s heroics in the 11th. A hit batter and two stolen bases later, Vincent raced home from third with an insurance tally via a wild pitch.
Kail, who pitched 5 1/3 innings of stellar in relief of Vincent, then set the TCA side down in order to lock up his third win of the spring.
Vincent was outstanding in his starting pitching role, too, fanning seven and allowing just three hits in 5 2/3 shutout innings. He and Kail combined to leave 11 Lion runners stranded.
Jack Harris drove in UC’s other run in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly that plated Copeland Chism.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
UC 11-3, So. Fulton 3-0
The Tornadoes (14-11, 10-2) clinched a tie for the 13A regular-season championship with Lake County by sweeping the Red Devils but will be No. 2 seed in the district tournament.
Both UC and LC finished 10-2 in league play – splitting their games — but the Falcons won a tie-breaker based on a lesser number of runs allowed (11-9) in those contests.
The Tornadoes will play seventh-seed Gleason in their first-round tournament game Thursday, May 6, at Elam Stadium.
Union City pounded out 15 hits in Tuesday’s opener vs. SF, then got a shutout pitching performance from Mason Reed in the nightcap to complete the sweep.
Gunnar Cheatham tripled, doubled twice, and drove in four runs in Game 1 for the Twisters. Will Ragsdale went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI and Dalton Bone, Gannon Searcy and Landon Hauhe all had a pair of hits to contribute to the winning cause.
Bone went five innings to pick up his sixth win in seven decisions, giving up just two earned runs while striking out five. Barrett Cox finished up with two innings of shutout relief, fanning three.
The nightcap belonged to Reed, who scattered eight singles and helped himself with two hits and a RBI. Reed whiffed eight Red Devils and did not allow a single walk on the mound.
Cheatham punctuated his big day with a solo home run in the second as part of a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.
Union City is set to host Gibson County Thursday night in its final regular-season home game.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
UC 14, Bradford 0
The Lady Tornadoes tuned up for their District 13A showdown at South Fulton that has been moved up today by hammering Bradford.
UC sent 15 batters to the plate in an 11-run third inning to highlight the mercy-rule victory that improved its overall mark to 11-8. The Twister girls improved to a perfect 9-0 in league play and can clinch the outright regular-season district title with a win over SF today.
Bayleigh Long went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in Union City’s Tuesday rout. Lainey Barker doubled and drove in three runs, while Emmaline Quals had a pair of singles and scored twice. Bailey Decker reached base four times with a triple and three walks and scored three runs.
Anna Lynn Cheatham struck out nine and allowed just two hits to get the pitching win, her sixth overall in 10 decisions. Cheatham is a perfect 5-0 in 13A play.
Today’s showdown at Curt Lee Field is set to begin at 5 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK
Tornado boys 2nd in strong field
Head coach Wade Maddox called Tuesday’s experience against a quality six-team field at Calloway County High School “a good tune-up for us,” and “the first time our teams have been thoroughly pushed in all events against good competition.”
The Tornado boys finished second to the host school with 135.5 points and won six of 16 events.
Ben Martinek set a school record in the 800 on his way to a first place showing with a time of 2:06.63.
Damon Rice won the long jump, Matthew Parr took honors in the triple jump and Taylan Tribble finished first in the discus.
A pair of Tornado relay teams also broke the tape while in the lead as UC won the 4×800 and 4×400. The combination of BJ Frankum, Cedrion Cook, Martinek and Parr made up the first winning unit, while Parr, Durrell Littleton, Skyler Mayes and Colby Butler teamed to take the 4×400.
Cook was also second in the 3200.
The Union City girls placed fifth in the competition (75 points) with host CC winning the meet.
Kylie McCadney posted a pair of new UCHS program marks, setting records while winning the 400 (1:02.34) and placing third in the 200 with a time of 27.21. Bailey Wagoner set a school record with a time of 2:55.95 in the 800, according to Maddox.
McCadney was also second in the triple jump, while Wagoner posted a runner-up showing in the 3200. Destiny Kenton finished No. 2 in the shot.
Union City will next host the annual Rotary Relays at War Memorial Stadium’s Dave Shatz Track May 6 and 7. The first day will be dedicated to all running events, with the field events to take place on Day 2.
Competition will begin at 4:30 p.m. each day.
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 7, Halls 1 (G)
Halls 4, UC 3 (B)
The Tornado girls rolled to a season sweep of Halls, improving their record to 15-6.
UC dominated in singles play behind Gracyn Callicott, Annie Wade, Molly Kizer and Erin Gill, then won both doubles matches with Mimi Jenkins and Shelby Bondurant joining the victory circle.
The Twister boys (7-8) came up just short in their match.
Eli Ervin and Gavin Pledge were winners twice, while Jack Tully triumphed in singles play.
Union City’s Senior Day match against Peabody has been moved to Friday.
Girls Singles
Shelby Bondurant vs. Paris Taylor 3-8
Gracyn Callicott v.s Erin McKendree 8-2
Annie Wade vs. Julia Caldwell 8-2
Molly Kizer vs. Emma Webb 8-1
Erin Gill vs. Emma Webb 8-0
Doubles
Kizer/Mimi Jenkins vs. Taylor/McKendree 8-6
Bondurant/Wade vs. Caldwell/Emma Smith 8-2
Boys Singles
Charleton Wisener vs. Logan Turner 5-8
Eli Ervin vs. Hayden Cherry 8-4
Gavin Pledge vs. Austin Gains 9-7
Alex Del-Castillo vs. Will Newman 4-8
Bryce White vs. Bronson Rasp 4-8
Jack Tully vs. Kayden Stafford 8-1
Doubles
Ervin/Pledge vs. Turner/Gains 8-6
White/Tully vs. Cherry/Newman 1-8
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER
Westview 2, UC 1
Martin spoiled Senior Night for the Tornadoes, scoring twice in the second half after Union City led 1-0 at the intermission.
Riley Caudill’s goal up the middle was set up by a great touch assist from Miguel Sanchez to put the Tornadoes in front.
Jose Godinez was solid on defense and Ka’Jaylon Bell stopped four of six shots in goal for the Twisters, who fell to 6-4 overall and 1-1 in district play.
Union City plays at Gibson County Thursday night at 6.