BRADFORD – The Bradford Railroaders defeated the neighboring Covington BUCCS 2-1 to advance in OHSAA DIV baseball tournament action.
“Kids had some extended at bats, that’s what you need this time of the year,” said Bradford coach, Bill Sturwold. “Kids did really well at the plate – I’m tickled to death for them.”
Bradford got on the board with a run in the bottom of the first-inning to lead 1-0 before the BUCCS plated a single run in the top of the fifth knotting the score a 1-1 bringing a visit to the mound from Coach Sturwold.
“I just wanted to slow things down,” Sturwold stated. “I just go out there and say we’re in damage control, if they score one run so be it. We’re home team so just making sure it didn’t escalate into anything more.”
With the damage control in hand, the score would stand at 1-1 heading to the seventh-inning of play.
Most days the wind is blowing out at the Bradford diamond but Coach Sturwold expected a low scoring game with the wind blowing in for the Wednesday night tournament matchup.
“Usually that flag is blowing out here so we’re not used to the wind blowing in,” Coach Sturwold noted. “I knew when I got off work I saw the wind direction, I thought holy cow we’re going to be in a tight one. When the wind blows out here this type of game is probably 4-2 or something like that but when the winds blowing in a couple balls hang up and kids make nice catches.”
The teams played a scoreless sixth-inning and Covington went quietly in the top of the seventh.
Tucker Miller led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and quickly stole second setting up a walk off run scoring single off the bat of Owen Canan to advance the Railroaders in tournament action.
“Covington played a real nice ballgame,” Sturwold noted. “Their kid kept us on our front foot a little bit, has a nice breaking ball but Miller and Canan, pretty familiar names here in Bradford – Tucker battled, shot one up the middle, stolen base then Canan, what can I say, he’s a great little clutch player for us so real happy with the boys.”
Bradford played excellent defense on the night allowing just a single error bringing praise from Coach Sturwold.
“Baker made some nice plays at second,” he said. “He’s a senior, he’s getting a lot of balls later in the year. He made some nice plays for us.”
Landon Monnin went the distance on the mound for the Railroaders tossing 7.0 innings of 2-hit ball allowing 1-earned run, 1-walk while striking out eight.
Tucker Miller led Bradford at the plate going 2-3 with a walk and 2-runs scored. Owen Canan was 1-4 including the winning RBI; Colton Gambill 1-3; Hudson Hill 1-3 and Garrett Trevino 1-3.
BOX SCORE
123 456 7 R H E
000 010 0 1 2 2 Covington
100 000 1 2 6 1 Bradford
