Racing out with a quick start provided District 6 champ Bradley Central all the runs its needed to nip District 5 runner-up McMinn County Saturday to advance to the Region 3 title game.
With the 2-1 hard-fought victory over their oldest rival, the Bears will turn around and battle archrival Cleveland, the District 5 champion Cleveland Sunday afternoon at 1 to see who will get to host a TSSAA Sectional best-of-3 series this week.
After barely missing the substate last year for the first time in five seasons, Bradley (25-7) has won 25 of its previous 27 games after an 0-5 start to the campaign.
After setting down McMinn in order in the top of the first, Lee University signee Alex Brew started the opening Bradley rally with a bunt single in the bottom of the inning.
Junior Jaxon Humble did the same and UTC football signee Luke Keith dropped down the third straight bunt for a sacrifice to move the runners up a base.
Sophomore Tyler Cook drove home the first run with a sac fly before Cleveland State signee Hank Adams ripped a double to right-center field to plate the other.
Bradley would only get two more hits off McMinn starter senior John Bryce the rest of the way — a second-inning, two-out double by senior Teigan Cassada and cook leading off the bottom of the sixth with a one-base knock.
Brew made the two runs stand out, allowing just three hits in the first five Tribe at bats.
The District 6 Player of the Year got in a little trouble in the top of the sixth as a one-out double by Carson-Newman signee Mason Roderick before Cleveland State bound Hunter McDonald and pinch hitter Cam Miller added back-to-back two-out singles, the second of which brought in Roderick to cut the deficit in half.
The Bear lefty ace answered with his seventh strikeout the contest to end the threat.
Cleveland State signee Brody Casteel came on to throw a no-hit seventh to push his program-record save mark to 10 on the season.
McMinn did threaten in the final at bat drawing a pair of walks and loading the bases on a Bear error, but the host squelch and rally dreams with game-ending 4-6-3 double play. Humble fielded the ball, flipped it to Adams, who fired to first baseman and Bryan signee Josh Leek to nip the batter.
Game Summary
Region 3-4A
Semifinals
Saturday, May 11
at McKenzie Baseball Complex
McMinn County 000 001 0 — 1 6 0
Bradley Central 200 000 0 — 2 5 2
WP: Alex Brew 6 IP, 7 Ks, 1 BB, 6 hits, 1 ER. LP: John Bryson 6 IP, 3 Ks, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 hits, 2 ER. Save: Brody Casteel 1 IP, 2 Ks, 0 BB, 0 hits, 0 ER. 2B: Mason Roderick (MC); Teigan Cassada, Hank Adams (BC). RBI: Cam Miller (MC); Tyler Cook, Adams (BC). Records: McMinn County 20-16; Bradley Central 25-7.