Photo courtesy of Union City Schools
By: Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City softball is still alive and kicking.
The Lady Tornadoes booted an opponent from the District 12AA Tournament for the second day in a row Tuesday with a 7-5 elimination game win over Milan at UT Martin.
UC (17-11) is now one more victory away from clinching a spot in next week’s regional but must beat second-seeded Huntingdon in the loser’s bracket final today at 5 p.m.
The Twister girls spotted Milan a 3-0 lead in Tuesday’s contest before then erupting for seven unanswered runs to beat the Lady Bulldogs for the second time in three meetings this season.
Anna Cheatham’s two-run single in a four-run third inning gave Union City the lead, and a two-run double by Alli Kate Frilling in the fifth provided insurance and the eventual winning tallies.
Frilling went 2-for-3 with three RBIs in all, while Emmaline Qualls and Sophie Theobald each scored twice. Marlee Theobald went 2-for-4 and had a run scored.
Sophie Theobald won for the 10th time in the pitching circle, scatting 10 hits and giving up just two earned runs while going the distance.
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
UC girls fall in regional championships
The Lady Tornadoes were denied berths in the individual state championships after advancing to regional title matches in both singles and doubles competitions on a hot and steamy day at South Gibson County High School.
Gracyn Callicott beat Milan’s Blair James in the singles semifinals 6-1, 6-3, but dropped a 6-3, 6-4 decision to Paris Taylor of Halls in the final round.
In doubles, the freshman sister tandem of Dani and Davey Frankum won their first-round match against the Dyersburg team of Lany Pugh and Malyn Morgan (7-5, 4-6, 6-4). The Frankum siblings then led Jaden Pugh and Anna Claire Wright 5-3 in the first set of the championship match but ended up on the short end of a 7-5, 6-0 score.
Pugh and Wright had beaten UC’s Annie Wade and Shelby Bondurant 6-4, 6-3 in the other semi, denying the Tornado duo of a return trip to the state where they made the semifinals last year.
Union City remains alive in the team portion of the postseason and will play at Dyersburg Thursday (4 p.m.) for the regional championship and a sectional berth.
Singles
Semifinals
Gracyn Callicott (UC) vs. Blair James (Milan) 6-1, 6-3
Championship
Gracyn Callicott (UC) vs. Paris Taylor (Halls) 3-6, 4-6
Doubles
Semifinals
Annie Wade/Shelby Bondurant (UC) vs. Jaden Pugh/Anna Claire Wright (Dyersburg) 4-6, 3-6
Davey Frankum/Dani Frankum (UC) vs. Lany Pugh/Malyn Morgan (Dyersburg) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Championship Match
Frankum/Frankum (UC) vs. Jaden Pugh/Wright (Dyersburg) 5-7, 0-6
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER
McKenzie 4, UC 3
A pair of second-half goals by Bethel University signee Chandler Adams rallied the Tornadoes from a 3-1 halftime deficit before the Rebels struck for the deciding score 16 minutes after the intermission.
“We had a couple of miscues early in the match, but we battled back and fought hard… just like we had all year,” first-year UC head coach Travis VanHooser said afterward. “Chandler (Adams) came up huge for us tonight, like he has all season. Ka’Jaylon Bell had several tremendous saves in the second half that kept us in the game.”
Marcos Landeros had Union City’s first-half goal and added an assist, while Riley Caudill set up a pair of goals. Bell had seven saves in goal for the Tornadoes.
“I’m so proud of this team. This senior class has been an absolute joy to coach and will be greatly missed,” VanHooser added. “All six seniors have received significant playing time throughout their careers at UCHS. They pushed their teammates to be better all year and led by example. Their hard work and dedication are second to none.”
UC ends its season with a 7-5-1 record.
The Tornadoes will lose six seniors to graduation, including Adams, Caudill, Logan Elmore, Brayden Hailey, Hogan Kern and Juan Lopez.
Caudill graduates No. 2 on the program’s all-time assist list, while Adams leaves at No. 4 in career goals.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Westview 10, UC 0
The Tornadoes saw their season end in the District 12AA tourney at Huntingdon Tuesday, finishing the year at 11-18.
Westview scored three times in the first inning and put up nine runs over the first four frames. The Chargers pounded out 16 hits before ending the game via the mercy rule in the sixth.
Kase Ross had UC’s lone extra-base hit, a double. Silas Petty, Landon Hauhe and Will Ragsdale had the Tornadoes’ other hits against Martin righthander Garner Anderson.
Barrett Cox pitched into the third inning and was charged with the loss. Nolan Chandler went the final 3 2/3 innings and struck out three.
The game was the last in a UCHS uniform for seniors Ross, Petty and Chase Norton.
