Mike Hutchens
Communications Director
Marlee Theobald knocked in teammate Emmaline Qualls with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to lift Union City to a thrilling 6-5 prep softball victory over Milan Tuesday.
The win was UC’s first in District 12AA play and snapped a seven-game skid for the Lady Tornadoes, who are now 4-13 overall.
After honoring their lone senior (Bayleigh Long) in ceremonies before the game, the Twister girls rallied from a 3-2 deficit to take a 5-3 lead after five innings. A pair of solo homers by visiting Milan in the top of the seventh evened the score before Theobald’s game-deciding poke.
Qualls tripled, singled, and scored three times in UC’s winning attack. Winning pitcher Addison Carr helped herself at the plate by driving in two runs, while Theobald went 2-for-4. Long contributed with a single and an RBI, while Kennedi Robinson had a double and a ribbie.
Carr was solid in the pitching circle, giving up just two earned runs and fanning four while going the distance.
Union City is scheduled to play Gibson County at home today.
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK
UC boys win, girls 2nd at USJ
The Tornado boys continued to impress – besting 22 other schools to post a 10-point win. The UC girls came in second only to the host school in a large field of 22 schools.
Keaten Brown threw more than 44 feet to win the shot put for the Union City boys. Kameron Shade was plenty good again in both the 100 and 200, placing second. Kolby Craig was runner-up in the triple jump.
The 4×200 relay team (Shade, Craig, Malaki Brooks, and Andre Smalls) came in third, as did Adrian Crawford in the high jump. Kelan Roberson was third in the shot.
UC totaled 73 ½ points in all, with Chester County coming in second with 63.
Katana Bonds carried the banner for the Twister girls, winning both the long jump and the triple jump. Allysia Davis was second in the high jump, while Alexis Smith finished No. 2 in the 400. Debrionna Jones was third in the discus.
The 4×100 relay unit comprised of Bonds, Indeya Hogsett, Nakyah Yarbrough, and Aujani Moss was runner-up in that event.
Union City is scheduled to host 19 schools for the Rotary Relays Thursday, but with rain and storms in the forecast, head coach Wade Maddox said that event could move to Friday. He anticipates making a call sometime today.
MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 5, USJ 2 (G)
UC 4, USJ 3 (B)
The Tornado squads took care of visiting USJ for the second time this season, winning 13 of 18 girls’ matches in all and seven of 10 on the boys’ side.
Emma Mobbs and Emma Jane Rice were winners in singles play, then combined to blank their opponents 6-0 in the doubles match. Allie Vincent was also a two-time winner for the Twister girls.
For the UC boys, Grant Sinclair, Foster Rodgers, and Camden Dawkins all triumphed in singles play, with Sinclair then teaming with Kobe Kirk to win as a tandem.
Union City closes its season next Tuesday, hosting Trinity Christian Academy.
Girls Singles
Emma Mobbs 6-2
Emma Jane Rice 6-4
Blythe Ogden 1-6
Allie Vincent 6-1
Briley McKinney 3-6
Maddie Bailey 2-6
Marley Waddell 2-6
Stella Turner 6-0
Rylan Bondurant 7-5
Phoebe Coleman 6-2
Kenslie Taylor 3-6
Emmalynn McClanahan 4-6
Girls Doubles
Mobbs/Rice 6-0
Ogden/Vincent 6-0
McKinney/Bailey 6-3
Waddell/Turner 6-3
Bondurant/Coleman 6-4
Taylor/McClanahan 6-2
Boys Singles
Kobe Kirk 3-6
Grant Sinclair 6-1
Foster Rodgers 6-1
Camden Dawkins 6-3
Boys Doubles
Kirk/Sinclair 6-2
Rodgers/Dawkins 3-6
Kipton Powers/Madix Turner 4-6
Jaedyn Sims/Miloh Turner 6-2
Wes Worrell/Monte Dale 6-0
Turner/Turner 6-3
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 7, Dyer Co. 0 (G)
Dyer Co. 6, UC 1 (B)
The Union City girls continued building momentum for the postseason with a shutout of Dyer County.
Twins Davey and Dani Frankum blanked their singles opponents 8-0 before teaming up to win their doubles match 8-1 to lead the domination. Top seed Shelby Bondurant and No. 2 Molly Kizer breezed to victories, too, as the Lady Tornadoes surrendered just 10 games in seven matches to improve to 9-7.
Jack Tully’s 7-2 tie-breaker triumph was the only win for the Union City boys, who fell to 3-9.
UC will close out regular season play Thursday with a match at Westview.
Girls
Singles
Shelby Bondurant vs. Grayce Shaver 8-3
Molly Kizer vs. Hailey Morgan 8-2
Davey Frankum vs. Kennedy Smith 8-0
Dani Frankum vs. Lily McCall 8-0
Bertie Jenkins vs. Juliana Jamison 8-3
Doubles
Bondurant/Kizer vs. Morgan/McCall 8-1
Frankum/Frankum vs. Smith/Jamison 8-1
Jenkins/Josie Ross vs. Kennedy Morrow/Erica Andrew 6-1
Lexi Petty/Allie Tucker vs. Natalie Sisk/Chaney Maupin 6-1
Boys
Singles
Charleton Wisener vs. Riley Thompson 2-8
Gavin Pledge vs. Bo Dodds 3-8
Lyndon Brown vs. Mason Adkins 2-8
Jack Tully vs. Clay Dodds 8-8 7-2 Tiebreak
Landon McAdams vs. Hayden McCuiston 2-8
Jeremy Rice vs. Seth La Rue 1-8
Carter Pruitt vs. Peyton Shannon 6-3
Doubles
Wisener/Pledge vs. Thompson/Dodd 6-8
McAdams/Tulley vs. Adkins/McCuiston 6-8
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Gibson Co. 7, UC 5
The Tornadoes’ final at-bat rally came up short in a home district loss vs. GC.
Union City (9-11, 2-5) trailed 6-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth before scoring twice in that frame and twice more in the seventh.
The Twisters outhit Gibson County 9-6. Tucker Davis singled and doubled, Ben Kail went 2-for-3, and both Barrett Cox and Luke Joslin had extra-base hits. Davis, Cox, Landon Hauhe, and Kyler Southerland were all credited with RBIs.
Hauhe was saddled with the pitching loss as the Pioneers took advantage of seven walks and six hits.
Hauhe, Hayden Searcy, and statistician Tanner Hailey were all recognized in Senior Day ceremonies before the game.
The two teams will play again today at GCHS.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL
So. Gibson 5, UC 1
Union City’s season ended with a first-round loss in the Northwest Middle School Athletic Association Tournament at Milan.
Jack Theobald singled, walked, and scored the Tornadoes’ lone run. Will Kail, John Matt Morgan, and Japeth Caldwell also reached base via a walk.
Ben Howell gave up all five Hornet runs in three innings in suffering the pitching loss.
Howell, Jaxson Busby, and Harrison Gray – three 8th-graders on an otherwise young squad – were recognized before the contest by UC coaches.
The Twisters finish their season with a 3-16 record.