The Owls (14-6, 8-2 District 5-AAA) plated a pair of runs in the opening inning and then did the same in the final frame to claim a 5-3 win on the Bears’ home diamond.
With prom this weekend, Bradley (11-10-1, 2-6) will get a few extra days off before returning to district play with a home-and-home series against Rhea County Monday (at BCHS) and Tuesday (in Evensville).
Ooltewah opened Tuesday’s game with back-to-back singles by Drew Toth and Brody Binder, who worked their way around the bases and scored on a single by Drew Williams and a groundout by Tennessee signee Kevin Dupree respectively.
The Bears answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first when junior leadoff batter Brently White stroked a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dylan Johnston, stole third and then came home on a single by team RBI-leader Robbie Works (17).
The visitors tacked on another run in the top of the third when big T.J. Binder drew a one-out walk and scored a few moments later on a single by Dupree.
Bradley battled back in the bottom of the sixth to knot the score at 3-all.
Senior Chase Wiseman, who improved his .500 on-base percentage with a double and a pair of walks in his three at bats, led off the rally with a free pass. Junior Jacob Fowler (.288) beat out an infield hit and when Wiseman headed to third on the play the throw was off the mark, allowing him to score and Fowler to move to second.
Speedy sophomore Chandler Duggan came on to pinch run for Fowler and after moving to third on a wild pitch, junior Caleb Pippenger picked up his 16th RBI on the season with a perfect squeeze bunt to bring him in and tie the game.
The big Ooltewah bats, which pounded out 13 hits on the night, responded in the top of the seventh when T.J. Binder and Williams laced back-to-back, one-out doubles for one run. Williams came home with the insurance run a few moment later when Chase Morrissey and Logan Fugate ripped consecutive two-out singles.
Despite giving up three earned runs and a half dozen hits, Owl hurler Zach Thompson went the distance for the pitching victory, striking out six and giving out a trio of free passes.
The Bradley junior varsity squad claimed its second win in as many nights over the Owls with Tuesday’s coming by a 6-4 final.
Ryan Blair struck out a half dozen, while scattering five hits in a complete-game effort on the hill for the win. The big junior helped his own cause with a pair of hits and two RBI.
Sophomore Seth Lee also stroked a couple of singles and drove in a run. Duggan helped out with a double, while Jacob Barnes and Ty King had RBI hits. Cal Pickel and Baylor Terrell also had hits in the victory.
OWLS 7, BEARS 3
Ooltewah 201 000 2 — 5 13 1
Bradley Central 100 002 0 — 3 6 1
WP: Zach Thompson 7 IP, 6 Ks, 6 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 3 ER. LP: Jonathan Hodges (1-1) 2.1 IP, 2 Ks, 5 H, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 2 ER. 2B: Drew Toth. T.J. Binder, Drew Williams (O); Chase Wiseman (BC). RBIs: Williams 2, Kevin Dupree 2, Logan Fugate (O); Robbie Works, Caleb Pippenger (BC). Highlights: Nate Mills 4.2 IP, 5 Ks, 3 BB, 8 H, 3 ER; Wiseman 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB, 1 r (BC). Records: Ooltewah 14-6, 8-2 District 5-AAA; Bradley Central 11-10-1, 2-6 District 5-AAA.
