By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
The Union City High School girls’ tennis team took over sole possession of first place in District 14A Tuesday with a 5-2 victory over Obion Central in a battle of league unbeatens.
UC improved to 10-3 overall, while Central dropped to 9-2. The two clubs will meet again on April 25.
Top singles seed Shelby Bondurant (8-2) and No. 2 Molly Kizer (8-5) won in individual play over Elizabeth Woody and Taylor Warren, then teamed to give the Lady Tornadoes another win in doubles with an 8-2 triumph over Hannah Taylor and Hannah Strauser.
Davey Frankum won her singles match against Strauser (8-4), then combined with sister Dani to beat Warren and Woody 8-2 in doubles.
OC won the boys’ match 6-1 to improve to 8-2, while UC fell to 3-9.
Foster Rodgers accounted for the only Tornado victory in the match, winning 8-3 at the No. 5 singles spot over A.J. Gammons.
The Twisters were competitive in both doubles matches as the tandems of Bryce White and Lyndon Brown and Kobe Kirk and Grant Sinclair each fell 8-6 to Olin Johnson/Luis Rodriques and Braden Elam/Sam Cunningham, respectively.
Sinclair fought to the end in his singles match before dropping a 9-7 decision to Cunningham.
Union City will play at Westview today.
Girls
Singles
Shelby Bondurant vs. Elizabeth Woody 8-2
Molly Kizer vs. Taylor Warren 8-5
Dani Frankum vs. Hannah Taylor 4-8
Davey Frankum vs. Hannah Strauser 8-4
Bertie Jenkins vs. Emma Heathcott 6-8
Doubles
Bondurant/Kizer vs. Taylor/Strauser 8-2
Frankum/Frankum vs. Warren/Woody 8-2
Boys
Singles
Bryce White vs. Olin Johnson 1-6 Stopped due to rain
Lyndon Brown vs. Luis Rodriques 3-8
Kobe Kirk vs. Braden Elam 5-8
Grant Sinclair vs. Sam Cunningham 7-9
Foster Rodgers vs. AJ Gammons 8-3
Doubles
White/Brown vs. Johnson/Rodriques 6-8
Kirk/Sinclair vs. Elam/Cunningham 6-8
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
UC 14, Greenfield 1
The shoe was on the other foot Tuesday as Union City avenged a mistake-filled loss against G’field from the day before by taking advantage of several Yellowjacket misplays to split the District 14A series.
The Tornadoes were the benefactors of nine errors that led to seven unearned runs and scored 13 times during the third and fourth innings to claim a mercy rule triumph.
Brothers Luke and Troy Joslin led the UC charge, each going 2-for-3. Luke drove in three runs and scored two, while Troy scored three times.
Will Ragsdale crossed the plate twice, singled, and had an RBI, while Skyler Hall recorded a pair of ribbies and scored twice.
After striking out 10 times in Monday’s game, the Twisters fanned on just three occasions Tuesday.
Barrett Cox picked up his fifth win in six decisions, allowing just one hit. Greenfield’s only run was unearned in the first.
UC (13-7, 7-2) will play at Trenton on Thursday.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
UC 15, Lake Co. 0
The Lady Tornadoes rolled over LC for the second time this spring, following up an earlier 20-4 triumph with Tuesday’s mercy-rule district victory.
Union City (6-11, 4-1) plated six runs in the first and then scored in every inning after that.
Marlee Theobald had another big day for the Twister girls with three hits, including a double and a triple. Theobald also scored four runs and drove in one. Clare Atwill had four RBIs and scored twice, while Caty Jo Hoffman doubled and chased home three runs. Emmaline Qualls went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Mattie Smith, easing her way back into the lineup after an injury, doubled twice and singled and did not allow a hit in four innings in the pitching circle. She struck out seven.
Union City is scheduled to host Trenton on Thursday at 5 p.m.
MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 6, Dyersburg 1 (G)
UC 6, Dyersburg 0 (B)
The Twisters were impressive for the second time in as many days, recording back-to-back wins vs. visiting Dyersburg.
Union City won all five girls’ singles matches, with Emma Jane Rice and Blythe Ogden then combining for a second victory in doubles play.
On the boys’ side, Kipton Powers and Camden Dawkins were winners as individuals and as a team.
Union City will wind up a busy week on Thursday when it welcomes Crockett County.
Girls Singles
Emma Jane Rice won 6-0
Blythe Ogden won 6-1
Stella Turner won 6-0
Rylan Ali Bondurant won 6-3
Phoebe Coleman won 6-2
Averi Riley won 6-1
Marley Waddell won 6-2
Maddie Bailey won 6-1
Peyton Kendall lost 1-4
Girls Doubles
Rice/Ogden won 6-2
Turner/Bondurant won 4-6
Coleman/Riley won 6-0
Bailey/Waddell won 4-0
Walker/Taylor won 6-2
McClanahan/Mears won 6-1
Boys Singles
Kipton Powers won 6-1
Camden Dawkins won 6-1
Miloh Turner won 6-1
Madix Turner won 6-1
Boys Doubles
Powers/Dawkins won 6-3
Jake Lattus/William Tohn won 4-1
MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL
Martin 10, UC 0
Brayden Marshall doubled and singled for two of Union City’s three hits as the Tornadoes were blanked by visiting Martin.
UC dropped to 10-5 heading into its final regular season games on Thursday – a doubleheader at South Gibson County. The Twisters will participate in the NWMSAA Tournament next week.
Caden LeCornu had the Tornadoes’ only other hit Tuesday vs. Martin.
Preston Creswell, the first of four Union City pitchers, was charged with the loss.