By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City swept visiting Trinity Christian Academy in girls’ and boys’ tennis, while the Lady Tornado softball team hammered Halls 15-0 to highlight spring sports Opening Day for the Purple and Gold.
The youthful UC baseball team showed some promise in its opener but dropped a 6-3 decision to Dresden.
Today’s schedule has the Twisters playing at Milan in softball, a rematch of Union City and Dresden in baseball on the Lions’ turf, the UC Middle School baseball squad opening its season at West Carroll, and the middle school volleyball team playing at Milan.
The following is a recap of Monday’s games:
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 4, TCA 1 (G)
UC 5, UCA 2 (B)
The Lady Tornadoes won four of five singles matches to clinch their opening triumph, while Byron Abbott and Grant Sinclair each won twice to pace the UC boys to a Match #1 win.
Josie Ross captured a thrilling 8-6 tie-breaker victory, and Briley Kate McKinney cruised to an 8-0 shutout win to highlight the Union City girls’ triumph.
Abbott beat Sawyer Lee 8-3 in singles, then teamed with Kobe Kirk to win 8-2 in doubles, while Sinclair won easily (8-1) in individual play and paired with Kipton Powers to claim a triumph in doubles.
Union City’s next match will be at Camden on Mar. 9.
Girls Singles
Bertie Jenkins (UC) lost to Tori Robinson (TCA) 3-8
Allie Vincent (UC) defeated Stella Barnett (TCA) 8-4
Josie Ross (UC) defeated Mary Quinn (TCA) 9-8 (8-6 tiebreaker)
Emma Jane Rice (UC) defeated to Mary Grace Cleek (TCA) 8-4
Briley Kate McKinney (UC) defeated Emma Nivin (TCA) 8-0
Stella Turner (UC) defeated Mallory Arnold (TCA) 6-0
Rylan Ali Bondurant (UC) lost to Lucy Wiser (TCA) 4-6
Maddie Bailey (UC) defeated Annie Payne (TCA) 7-6 (tiebreaker 7-2)
Kenslie Taylor (UC) lost to Lizzie Culpepper (TCA) 2-6
Boys Singles
Kobe Kirk (UC) lost to Reed Williamson (TCA) 7-9
Byron Abbott (UC) defeated Sawyer Lee (TCA) 8-3
Paul Martin Tohn (UC) defeated Nathan Reed (TCA) 8-4
Grant Sinclair (UC) defeated Brooks Polk (TCA) 8-1
Foster Rodgers (UC) – Forfeit due to injury
Kipton Powers (UC) defeated James Barnett (TCA) 6-3
Camden Dawkins (UC) defeated Jack Mosier (TCA) 7-6 (7-4 tiebreaker)
Miloh Turner (UC) lost to Mason West (TCA) 5-7
Boys Doubles
Kirk/Abbott (UC) defeated Williamson/Polk (TCA) 8-2
Sinclair/Powers (UC) defeated Harpole/Barnett (TCA) 6-1
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
UC 15, Halls 0
The Lady Tornadoes erupted for 10 first-inning runs and went on to a three-inning mercy-rule blowout of the program that ended their season a year ago.
Mattie Smith doubled twice, drove in five runs, and gave up just one hit in the circle to pace UC. Addison Carr tripled, scored twice, and had three RBIs, while Hadley Smith went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a pair of ribbies for the Twister girls.
Kylie McClure served as a great table-setter in the leadoff spot, reaching base in all three at-bats with two singles and a walk. She drove in three runs and scored two. Whitley Jenkins drew three walks and scored after each.
Union City paired eight hits and nine walks in the onslaught.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Dresden 6, UC 3
Six Union City errors made each of the Lions’ runs unearned as the Tornadoes fell in Game 1 of their 2026 campaign.
A pair of misplays and a catcher’s interference opened the door for visiting Dresden to score four runs in the top of the seventh and break a 2-all tie.
UC, which outhit the Lions 7-5, did make things interesting in the bottom of the last frame with three singles and a walk, but hit into a double play to end the contest.
Ben Howell turned in an excellent effort on the hill, striking out 10 and allowing but three hits and two walks in four innings. Mason St. Germain, one of five freshmen to play for the Twisters, was the hard-luck losing hurler in relief. He tossed three innings and gave up just two hits and a walk.
St. Germain had Union City’s only extra-base hit, a double. Jack Theobald got aboard in all four plate appearances in the leadoff spot with two singles and a pair of walks. Howell helped his cause with two hits and an RBI, while River Carson and Preston Creswell also drove in runs.