MONTEAGLE — In a match up of Top 25 teams, Bradley Central wrapped up the baseball regular season on top of the mountain, defeating Lincoln County at the University of the South-Sewanee's C.L. "Sonny" Montgomery Field.
The 22nd-ranked Bears notched win No. 21 with an 8-5 victory over the 23rd-ranked Falcons, who were a late fill in after McCallie canceled the Monday game at the McKenzie Baseball Complex.
The top-seed for the District 6-4A Tournament, Bradley (21-7, 9-0) will entertain fourth-seed Howard (2-22, 0-9) Thursday and Friday evenings, plus Saturday, if necessary.
Second seed Ooltewah (7-20, 5-4) will also host No. 3 East Hamilton (16-17, 5-4) in a best of 3 semifinal series.
If both series are sweeps, the District 6-4A championship game will be at 2 Saturday afternoon, elsewise it will be held Monday, at 7 p.m., at the home of the higher seed.
The District 9-4A regular season champion Lincoln County (20-11) squad opened the scoring Monday putting a trio of runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third frame.
Bradley didn't get the goose egg off the top of the board until the fourth inning, when the Bears exploded on a seven-run rally.
After Jaxon Humble opened the inning with a walk, back-to-back one-out doubles by sophomore Tyler Cook and Bryan College signee Josh Leek got the party started, driving in a run each.
Cleveland State signee Hank Adams, junior Colby Stott, Northwestern football signee Tito Williams and senior Teigan Cassada followed with consecutive single, all but the first plating a run.
Lee University signee and District 6 Player of the Year Alex Brew helped out with a sac fly to plate a teammate before Humble ripped a run-scoring triple in his second at bat of the inning to cap the rally.
The Falcons tried to come back with a pair of scores in the bottom of the fifth, off a two-out single.
Bradley added the final score of the evening in the top of the sixth when Williams ripped a one-out triple before scoring on a Cassada sac fly.
Humble and Williams both finished with two hits, including a three-bagger, both driving in a run, the former also drawing a walk and scoring, while the latter touched home twice.
Despite giving up the first three runs, Ethan Wilds earned the pitching victory, notching a pair of strikeouts, but walking four.
Junior Jonathan Alomar came on for 3.1 innings, getting a hold with three Ks, four hits and a pair of runs allowed.
Cleveland State signee Brody Casteel came on to get the final two outs, but it wasn't a save opportunity.
Game Summary
Monday, April 29
at Monteagle
Bradley Central 000 701 0 — 8 9 2
Lincoln County 030 020 0 — 5 8 2
WP: Ethan Wilds 3.0 IP, 2 Ks, 4 BB, 4 hits, 3 ER. LP: Brett Dobbs. 3B: Tito Williams, Jaxon Humble (BC). 2B: Tyler Cook, Josh Leek (BC); Rhett Persell, Maddox Meeks, Clint Quick (LC). RBI: Teigan Cassada 2, Alex Brew, Humble, Cook, Leek, Williams, Colby Stott (BC); Quick 2, Persell 2, D Morgan (LC). Records: Bradley Central 21-7; Lincoln County 20-11.
