By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City got off the deck following a devasting knockdown Friday night and lived to fight another day – and more – with a Saturday victory in the District 14A Baseball Tournament.
The Golden Tornadoes rebounded from a heartbreaking 3-2 10-inning loss to Dresden on Friday with a gritty 10-5 win over South Fulton Saturday afternoon to clinch a berth in both the district tourney championship round and the Region 7A Tournament next weekend.
The Twisters (18-10) must now beat Dresden twice on Monday to claim the 14A postseason title and earn a host role in the regionals but nonetheless, have already secured their spot in the next round for the first time in five years.
Seniors Troy Joslin, Will Ragsdale, Kyler Southerland, and Skyler Hall combined for nine hits and four RBIs Saturday as Union City (18-10) overcame the bitter taste of defeat less than 24 hours earlier when Dresden rallied to send the Tornadoes into an elimination game.
That Friday contest could best be described as an ‘instant classic’ as Troy Joslin and Cameron Schlicht hooked up in a spectacular pitcher’s duel that went into extra innings before Tristan Jett drove home the game-winning for the Lions with two outs in the 10th after UC had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the frame.
Tornado head coach Cole McAdams heaped considerable words of praise on his troops for their resiliency, especially noting his seniors.
“Our seniors just put us on their shoulders and refused to let the disappointment of Friday night keep us from moving on,” McAdams claimed. “They were grinders…our whole team was. Naturally, how things turned out Friday night was devastating, but we didn’t let that carry over – even when some things didn’t go our way early Saturday.
“Barrett (Cox) didn’t have his best stuff, but he battled. He kept us in the game and gave us a chance until we came up with the big inning with key hits at the most critical times.
“And getting back to the regional tournament is big for our kids and our program. I believe we can make some noise there.”
SATURDAY
UC 10, South Fulton 5
Down 4-3 entering the bottom of the fifth, the Tornadoes erupted for five runs and went on to beat a gutty SF bunch for the third time in as many meetings this spring.
A two-run double by Troy Joslin – who drove in three runs in the contest – highlighted the uprising.
Ragsdale went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, and Southerland had three singles, a walk, and scored twice for the Twisters. Hall had a pair of singles and drove in UC’s first run, and Luke Joslin doubled and had two RBIs.
Ben Kail went 2-for-4 with two runs and a ribbie to aid the Tornadoes’ 13-hit attack.
Cox battled his way through six innings to earn his second win of the tourney and eighth in nine decisions this season. He fanned six and scattered 11 singles while giving up three earned runs.
Ragsdale got the last three outs – two via strikeout.
FRIDAY
Dresden 3, UC 2
McAdams echoed the sentiments of almost everyone who witnessed the game, calling it “one of the best high school baseball games I’ve seen in a long, long time.”
The contest indeed had a little bit of everything, most notably stellar pitching and defense.
Union City’s Troy Joslin was a true ace with nine shutout innings that included four strikeouts and just five hits allowed.
He was aided by tremendous defense on several occasions, including in the bottom of the ninth when shortstop Copeland Chism gunned down the would-be winning run at the plate to end the inning.
Joslin did his best Houdini act by getting out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the eighth. He also escaped unscathed from a sacks-full first-inning situation by inducing a double-play ground ball.
Dresden’s Schlicht was just as impressive, fanning seven in eight scoreless frames. He was also aided by timely defense, stranding a handful of Tornado baserunners in scoring position.
UC finally broke the 0-0 deadlock in its half of the 10th when Troy Joslin’s single with Kail aboard got past the Lions’ right fielder for a two-base error that allowed Kail to circle the bases. Cox then drove home Joslin for a 2-0 Twister lead.
Undaunted, Dresden answered off Southerland, who relieved Joslin due to the pitch limit.
Two hits and a walk loaded the bases before Ross Finney stroked a two-run single to even the count and put runners at second and third with no outs.
Southerland nearly wiggled out of trouble, recording a ground out and a strikeout before Jett smacked his game-winner to left-center.
Troy Joslin and Cox each had two hits for Union City.