By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City baseball teams – at both the middle and high school levels – got their respective weekends off to a good start Friday.
The Middle School Tornadoes resumed their winning ways after dropping three straight with a doubleheader sweep of Dyersburg, 12-2 and 7-4. UCHS, meanwhile, ran its victory streak to seven in a row by rallying past Bruceton 14-6.
The Union City boys’ track team came in first in a 13-school meet at Dyersburg on Friday.
Highlights of those competitions and other spring sports results are as follows:
MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL
UC 12-7, Dyersburg 2-4
The Tornadoes are now 10-4 heading into the final week of their regular season after taking both ends of a twinbill vs. D’burg.
Preston Creswell drove in three runs, and Brayden Marshall scored three times for UC in Friday’s opener, which ended early via the mercy rule.
Caden LeCornu went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and a ribbie for the victors, and courtesy runner Brody Fields crossed the plate three times.
Japeth Caldwell fanned seven while giving up just three hits to get the pitching victory.
A four-run first got Union City off to a good start in the nightcap.
Jack Theobald drove in a pair of runs for the Twisters, while LeCornu had two more hits. Marshall and Creswell scored two times apiece, and Caldwell singled and scored.
Creswell tossed three shutout innings with six strikeouts to notch the pitching triumph.
UC hosts Halls on Monday.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
UC 14, Bruceton 6
Trailing 6-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Tornadoes erupted for 12 runs in their final two at-bats to run their record to 12-6.
Barrett Cox provided UC’s firepower with four hits, including a double and four RBIs. Cox also scored three times.
Leadoff man Troy Joslin doubled twice, drove in two, and scored two runs, while Kyler Southerland tripled and singled. Ben Kail had two hits and two ribbies, and Copeland Chism and Luke Joslin each came home two times.
Troy Joslin struck out five of the 10 batters he faced in 3 1/3 innings of relief to get the pitching win – his fourth in five decisions. Logan Dawkins fanned nine in the starter’s role.
Union City will play at Greenfield on Monday, then host the Yellowjackets on Tuesday.
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK
The Tornado boys won first place in 10 events to easily outdistance runner-up McCracken County (150-109).
Sophomore Adrian Crawford continued to impress in multiple events, winning the high jump, long jump, and triple jump – setting new school records in two of those competitions.
Crawford, who already owns the program record in the high jump, set new marks in the long jump (21’3”) and the triple jump (42’5”) to win a trio of events.
UT Martin signee Kameron Shade won both the 100 meters and 200 meters and was part of the first-place 4X400 relay team along with Andre Small, Malaki Brooks, and Jaylen Marshall. Woodrow McKinnis was a double winner, taking honors in the 1600 meter and 3200-meter runs, while Keaten Brown walked away with first place in the shot put and discus.
UC’s girls’ team was third in the competition, accumulating 107 points. Munford was the meet champion with 145.
Ca’Lae Ervin won the 100-meter hurdles for the Lady Tornadoes, and the 4X100 relay group that included Nakyah Yarbrough, Indeya Hogsett, Aujani Moss, and Chloe Hubbard crossed the finish line first.
Moss became the first person in program history to post a sub-13-second time in the 100, placing second at 12.96.
Several other Lady Tornadoes placed second or third in their respective competitions.
Union City will compete in Murray on Tuesday, beginning at 5 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
Dresden 4, UC 1
A pair of two-out UC errors in the sixth opened the door for three Lady Lion runs and sent the Twister girls to their first District 14A loss after three victories.
The Lady Tornadoes (5-10 overall) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh but could not push across any runs. Union City stranded 10 runners in the contest.
Marlee Theobald had three singles for UC, which had five hits in all. Emmaline Qualls reached base three times via a single and two walks, and Addison Carr singled and scored the Twisters’ lone run.
Carr pitched well but was the hard-luck losing hurler. She struck out four and scattered eight hits.
Union City plays at Obion Central on Monday.
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER
Westview 3, UC 0
The Tornadoes could muster but one shot on goal and fell to district-leading Martin at home Friday.
Silverio Acevedo had Union City’s lone shot attempt.
Jayce Rogers turned away nine Westview shots in goal for the Twisters, who dropped to 4-2-2 on the season.
Rogers, along with teammates Ka’Jaylon Bell, Cohen Simpson, and Corban Avery drew words of praise from head coach Travis VanHooser for their play.
Union City plays at Obion County Central on Tuesday.