By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City saddled up its big horse and rode into the District 14A baseball championship round.
Senior right-hander and staff ace Troy Joslin tossed a masterful one-hitter with 14 strikeouts, carrying the second-seeded Tornadoes to an 8-0 victory over league co-champion Greenfield in Wednesday’s showdown of the district’s top two teams.
The win had double meaning for UC as it secured the Twisters a berth in the 14A finals on Friday and guaranteed the Purple and Gold a spot in next week’s regional tournament.
It also marked the 801st triumph in the 50-year history of the program, which is seeking its 12th state tournament and back-to-back appearances in the Spring Fling.
Union City (20-8) now awaits the survivor of the loser’s bracket in the championship round, needing just one win in two possible games to wrap up the 13th district title in the annals of the sport. Game 1 of the finals is set for Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Elam Stadium.
Joslin was nothing short of spectacular Wednesday night, running his record to 7-1 with his latest mound gem that lowered his seasonal earned run average to a sparkling 1.44.
Both effective and efficient, he pounded all angles of the plate, throwing 59 of 85 pitches for strikes, and facing just two batters over the minimum. He struck out two G’field hitters in five of seven frames, his last K ending the game.
For the season, Joslin has fanned 97 batters in 58 innings.
A two-run double by Copeland Chism in the third inning that plated Ben Kail and Sam Jones gave Union City a 3-0 lead after Joslin had raced home via a wild pitch to open the scoring.
The Twisters then broke open the contest with a five-run final at-bat.
Chism knocked in his third run with a sacrifice fly before Tucker Davis put the outcome on ice with a two-run, bases-loaded single. UC was aided in the inning by four walks and a hit batsman.
Davis threw out a pair of ‘Jackets on the bases in the middle innings to squelch any chance of Greenfield breaking into the scoring column.
G’field (18-5) awaits the winner of this afternoon’s Gleason-Dresden elimination game in a 7 p.m. contest tonight that will determine the Tornadoes’ final opponent and the other regional qualifier.
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
District champion UC girls
prepping for postseason
After receiving the hardware for winning the program’s sixth consecutive district title, the Union City girls began preparing for the postseason Wednesday – both as a team and in individual play.
The Lady Tornadoes (14-4) will travel to Scotts Hill next Thursday (May 8) for the Region 7A team championship match with a start time expected to be in the early afternoon. The winner of that contest will host the Region 8 winner in the Class A West Sectionals on May 15, with a berth in the state tournament at stake.
Before that, several UC players are entered in the District 14A Individual Tournament in singles and doubles competition.
That event begins on Monday and will be played at Bethel College in McKenzie. First-round matches will start at 9 a.m., with the quarterfinals to immediately follow. Tuesday is reserved for semifinal and championship round play, beginning at 11 a.m.
Twin sisters Dani and Davey Frankum are the top-seeded girls’ doubles entry in the bracket. The tandem of Allie Vincent and Lexi Petty is seeded third.
Bertie Jenkins, the district champion as a freshman two years ago, is the No. 3 seed in this year’s tourney. Josie Ross is also a member of the 11-girl field.
On the boys’ side, the team of Kobe Kirk and Byron Abbott open as the fourth seed, with the duo of Foster Rodgers and Paul Martin Tohn also entered.
Camden Dawkins will represent the Union City boys’ program in singles play.
The regional individual tourney is set to be played on May 12-13, likely at Adamsville, according to UC program officials.
The Single-A state championships are set for May 20-23 at the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro as part of Spring Fling 32.