By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Senior Night was everything it was supposed to be for both the Union City High School baseball and softball teams.
So, too, was the UC Middle School baseball program’s first postseason experience.
All Purple and Gold diamond teams were big winners Tuesday to highlight spring sports results from Union City Schools.
The UCHS baseball team swept South Fulton, 11-1 and 4-0, to complete a perfect run through District 13A.
The Lady Tornadoes pummeled Bradford 27-9 in softball, locking up at least a tie for first in 13A heading into next week’s district tournament.
And the UCMS baseball team beat Crockett County 6-4 to win its opening-round game in the NW TN Conference tournament.
It was a good day as well for the Union City tennis program, the high school sweeping Trenton in both boys’ and girls’ play, while UCMS beat Crockett County twice to cap a perfect day for Tornado teams and athletes.
Highlights are as follows:
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
UC 11-4, South Fulton 1-0
Eleven Golden Tornado seniors celebrated their 20th and 21st wins of the spring with a doubleheader win over SF.
Among those to play their final regular season games at Elam Stadium were Conner Hurt, Dawson Searcy, Miles Odle, Will Hogan, Preston Little, Jaxon Moran, Peyton Edwards, Austin Atwill, Carson Sinclair, Tyler Walton and Pierce Kizer.
That group has now been a part of 57 victories the past two seasons.
Atwill was red-hot in Tuesday’s opener for the Purple and Gold, going 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Walton had three hits in four trips to the plate, while Sam Theobald and Hurt each had a pair of base knocks and drove in a run.
Moran’s single in the sixth ended the contest via the mercy rule.
Ace southpaw Peyton Edwards (6-0) allowed the first three Red Devil hitters he faced to reach, but little else afterward. Edwards finished particularly strong, fanning nine.
In Game 2, Hurt was masterful, spinning a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts.
He also helped himself with a single, a run scored and two RBI. Searcy and Sinclair had UC’s other hits in the contest.
South Fulton contributed to its own demise in both contest, committing a combined 10 errors.
Union City (21-6) is scheduled to host Halls Thursday and play at University School of Jackson on Friday.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
UC 27, Bradford 9
The Lady Tornadoes (12-9, 11-1) erupted for season-highs in both runs and hits (23) in clinching at least a share of the District 13A regular season championship.
Union City also benefitted from six Bradford errors and nine Lady Red Devil walks.
UC scored 12 times in the second to break a 2-all deadlock, then cemented its victory with an eight-run fourth.
Gracie Laster, one of the Twisters’ four seniors, had four hits and drove in four runs, while Anna Lynn Cheatham also had four hits, including a pair of doubles, and three RBI. Sophie Theobald doubled three times in her four-hit day with three ribbies, and Kyndall Davis recorded four RBI.
Gabby Jones went 3-for-5 with three runs driven in and Avery Decker scored four times with a pair of hits and two ribbies.
Tiffanie Oldaker and Halle Riley – two more seniors – joined Decker, Theobald, Laster, Cheatham, Davis and Jones in scoring three or more runs. Faith McLendon, the fourth UCHS senior, went 2-for-5
Theobald was the winning pitcher.
UC is scheduled to play at Gibson County Thursday and visit West Carroll Monday before hosting the District 13A Tournament next week.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL
UC 6, Crockett Co. 4
The Tornadoes (8-14) won their first-ever conference playoff game in their inaugural season, getting a handful of stellar efforts in the process to advance to today’s NWTN Conference semifinals at Trenton at 6 p.m.
Landon Hauhe turned in a quality pitching effort, gaining the win by hurling 42/3 innings with five strikeouts. Gunner Presson came on and allowed two hits, but earned the save by recording the final out.
Third baseman Will Ragsdale made four outstanding plays defensive to headline a defense that did not commit an error.
Nolan Chandler went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored and a RBI to pace the Twister batsmen. Hauhe helped his own cause with a hit, a run and a ribbie, while both D.J. Robinson and Hayden Searcy singled and scored.
Hayden Kennedy had Union City’s lone extra-base hit, a double that chased home a run.
Coaches Michael Paul Miller and Shane Sisco both lauded the overall solid effort of the team, especially noting Hauhe on the mound and Ragsdale.
“We put together some competitive at-bats and had some really timely hits,” Sisco added.
UC and CC had split a pair of regular season games.
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 7, Trenton 0 (G)
UC 7, Trenton 0 (B)
The Tornado teams had little trouble with Peabody, the boys moving their team record to 6-4, while the girls are now 12-4 on the spring.
The Tornado boys gave up just nine games total in their seven matches against Trenton, while the Union City girls surrendered but eight in all.
Hayden Wilson was part of two shutout wins on the boys’ side, and Gracyn Callicott and Erin Gill blanked their singles foes for the Twister girls.
Union City will play next Monday and Wednesday in the District 14 individual tournament, then the following week in regional team play. The Tornado boys will face Huntingdon, the UC girls Halls.
Before that, UC is slated to host Halls Thursday and Gibson County Friday.
Boys
Singles
Wilson Harris over Chandler Richmond 8-3
Caleb Parker over Christian Doss 8-1
Walker Ross over Zach Taylor 8-1
Hayden Wilson over Ladavion Phetsoupphanh 8-0
Justin Rive over Jacques Wilkins 8-2
Doubles
Harris/Ross over Richardson/Taylor 8-2
Parker/Wilson over Doss/Wilkins 8-0
Girls
Singles
Meg Kizer over Josie Greene 8-2
Gussie Parks over Livia Pybas 8-2
Zoe Cagle over Layla Duncan 8-1
Gracyn Callicott over Maddie Vernon 8-0
Erin Gill over Taylor Scott 8-0
Doubles
Kizer/Parks over Greene/Pybas 8-2
Cagle/Sailor Bearden over Duncan/Scarlet Bell 8-1
MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 5, Crockett Co. 0 (G)
UC 4, Crockett Co. 1 (B)
The UCMS tennis teams continued their respective strong play, winning at Alamo.
Mimi Jenkins and Allie Tucker both breezed to 6-0 wins in singles, while Emily Hammonds gave up just one game in an easy triumph.
The doubles teams of Shelby Bondurant/Davey Frankum and Molly Kizer/Jorge Frankum also cruised with 6-1 triumphs.
For the Tornado boys, Ben Wade continued to impressive, winning both his singles match and in doubles play with teammate Charlton Wisener by 6-0 counts. Wisner was a singles winner as well, while the doubles duo of Carter Wilson and Jack Tully pulled out a close 4-3 decision.
UC has added a match to its late-season schedule, traveling to USJ on Monday.
Girls
Singles
1 Mimi Jenkins beat Kamya Caldwell 6-0
2 Emily Hammonds beat Mady Edwards 6-1
3 Allie Tucker beat Campbell Currie 6-0
Extra
4 Alyssa Durham beat Kate Gourley 6-1
5 Madeline Underwood beat Alyssa Roy 6-1
6 Jaime Becton lost to Anna Graves 3-4
Doubles
1 Shelby Bondurant/Davey Frankum beat Kate Gourley/Karmen Frost 6-1
2 Molly Kizer/Jorge Frankum beat Kamya Caldwell/Grace Wiese 6-1
Extra
3 Kate Schlager/Dani Frankum beat Mady Edwards/Heather Gonzales 6-2
4 Lexi Petty/Jaime Becton beat Alyssa Roy/Campbell Currie 6-2
5 Dani & Davey Frankum beat Analia King/Anna Graves 6-3
Boys
Singles
1 Ben Wade beat Miles McCarter 6-0
2 Owen Rodgers lost to Dallas Teel 4-6
3 Charlton Wisener beat Luke Ritchie 6-2
Doubles
1 Ben Wade/Charlton Wisener beat Miles McCarter/Baker Jones 6-0
2 Carter Wilson/Jack Tully beat Adam Booker/Gabe Ramsey 4-3
Extra
3 Charlton Wisener/Jack Tully lost to Dallas Teel/Luke Ritchie 3-4
4 Carter Wilson/Xavier Hinson beat Landon Alexander/Dallas Teel 4-3
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