(UPDATED) In a "fantastico" performance proclaimed head coach Hallie Geren as her Bradley Central softball squad stunned host East Hamilton to claim the program's first district championship in more than 17 years.
Bouncing back from an 11-2 loss to the Lady Hurricanes the night before, the Bearettes calmed the "Storm" in a 13-6 slugfest to take the District 6-4A title Wednesday, in Collegedale.
"We just told them don't lay down," related Coach Geren of her pregame instructions.
"They came out here today and they refused to quit, even when East Hamilton got up early, they (the Bearettes) fought back.
"Even when we got ahead, we weren't complacent, we continued to score, even in the last inning.
"Our girls show up today and they showed out," she continued. "I couldn't be any prouder of the way they've composed themselves this season, even when things didn't always go our way, and now to accomplish this — winning the district and going to region for the first time in such a long time.
"They came hungry and they didn't get satisfied until they got it."
The victory also means Bradley (15-17) gets to host the Region 3 Tournament next week with District 5 champion Cleveland (21-15) and runner-up Walker Valley (27-7) joining with East Ham (19-11) in battling for one of two TSSAA Sectional spots.
The Lady Raiders nipped the Feisty Fillies 6-5 in the 5-4A title game Wednesday (see related story this section).
Bearette bats knocked out 16 hits in Wednesday's action that included sophomore Karly Farkas going 4-for-5, including a two-run blast over the right field fence.
It was her third home run of the season and with Miley Broom adding her first varsity yard shot," also a two-run blast, put Bradley's first scores on the scoreboard in the fourth frame.
"They couldn't stop Karly Farkas. She hit them all," proclaimed Coach Geren. "Miley (Broom) has struggled hitting all year, but she came in last night and got down a good bunt for us and she decided she was going to start hitting today and she did."
Bradley exploded to put up a 7-spot in its next at bat to break open a tie score and spark the victory.
"We've had some games where we've had this many hits, but to come back out her after a tough loss last night and hit like this against a great pitcher and a great team was more than we could have asked for," exclaimed Coach Geren.
East Ham hurler Yulai Woodruff struck out 18 Bearettes in a regular season game, plus 11 in the winner's bracket final. Wednesday she notched nine in 4.2 innings, but Bradley touched her for a half dozen walks, 10 hits and 11 runs.
After a scoreless opening inning, East Hamilton broke the ice with a RBI-triple by Faith Wadley, followed by a run-scoring single from Kailyn Mendoza, in the bottom of the second.
Another scoreless frame followed before Farkas and Broom both "went deep" in the top of the fourth, driving in Tori Cagle, who had walked, and Kaylee Callahan had toasted the Hurricane right fielder for a double.
The host answered in the bottom of the inning with an RBI-infield single by Henley Apps and a sac fly by Woodruff to tied the game. Woodruff was held hitless in the contest after blasting a pair of three-run homers the night before.
The Bearette kept up the pressure on in the top of the fifth, showing great patience at the plate.
After an opening walk to Allyssia Herbold was erased with an "in the neiborhood" phantom call on a ground out, Farkas dropped in a bloop single before Presleigh Sanders drew a free pass.
Woodruff notched her final K of the night and appeared she was going to get of the jam, but then couldn't find the strike zone with three straight base on balls, the first and last to freshman Addi Staton and classmate Ma'Ryah Greenwood drove in runs.
Junior Lynlee Hodge stepped into the boax and cleared the sack with a three-run double to right-center field gap, followed by another two-bagger from Herbold to trade places with her.
After a pitching change, Mendoza stepped into the circle and stopped the rally before having to get out of a another jam with a pair of Bearette baserunners in the sixth.
Bradley put together four straight hits in the top of the seventh to tack on a pair of runs. Hodge stroked a one-out single, followed by Herbold's second RBI-double of the night. Cagle then hit the left field fence with a long single to plate a score.
Five free passes by a couple of Bearette hurlers in the bottom of the seventh allowed the Lady Hurricanes to tack on a couple of runs before the final out was recorded.
Bradley got a strong start from little used sophomore Gracie Ownby in the circle.
"Gracie has been working her way up every single game," related Coach Geren. "She has warmed up repeatedly and she's gotten some chances, but this today was one of her first varsity starts and she held an exceptional hitting team for four innings."
She got plenty of support for the victory with Herbold, Greenwood and Staton reaching base three times on a pair of hits and a walk each, plus Hodge each got on twice, driving in a game-high three teammates.
Broom, Farkas and Herbold each drove in two runs.
Apps reached base five time for the hosts with a double, single and a trio of free passes, while Alana Johnson led got on four times on a trio of walks and a single.
Bailey Poschke and Wadley had a couple of hits and a free passes apiece, while Jada Rutley "walked the line" twice and had a hit for East Ham.
Game Summary
District 6-4A Tournament Championship Game
Bradley Central 000 470 2 — 13 16 0
East Hamilton 020 200 2 — 6 10 0
Ownby, Bailkey, Long and Sanders; Woodruff, Mendoza and Poschke.
WP: Gracie Ownby. LP: Yulai Woodruff.
Records: Bradley Central 15-17; East Hamilton 19-11.
(Contact Joe Cannon at joe.cannon@clevelandbanner.com)