Clinching the District 6-4A regular season title, Bradley Central pushed its current winning streak to a baker's dozen with back-to-back wins over East Hamilton.
Getting a two-hit shutout from Lee University signee Alex Brew, the Bears blanked the Hurricanes 2-0 Monday, at the McKenzie Baseball Complex, before exploding for a 12-2 "run-rule" blowout Tuesday in Collegedale.
"Always good to clinch the No. 1 seed (for the district tournament)," commented veteran "Papa Bear" Travis Adams, who did so for the eighth time in his 17th season heading up his alma mater.
"Proud of our boys over coming a slow start and keeping with the process. Tonight’s game was controlled by both pitchers and Alex (Brew) shut them out, throwing a complete game was on point!," he said of Monday's clinching battle.
"Josh Leek's timely hit (a two-run double in the fourth frame) was as well and our defense made some great plays to shut down any momentum they (EH) were trying to create."
Leek took the bump in the second game, firing a complete-game, three-hitter without allowing an earned run.
The teams will cap the three-game series back on "Joe Adams Squeezeway" Thursday.
Bradley (15-6, 8-0 District 5-4A) will be a co-host for the Trojan Classic this weekend, facing sixth-ranked (DII-A) Silverdale (13-5) at 4 Friday, before tangling with No. 20 (4A) Wilson Central (16-3) at 7 p.m.
The Bears will face Shelbyville in a rematch of last year's Region 3 semifinal at 3:30 Saturday afternoon.
Tuesday Game
BEARS 12
HURRICANES 2
After falling in a 2-0 hole at the opening two innings, Bradley broke through in a big way in its third at bat, roaring to a 5-spot.
After Leek singled and fellow senior Teigan Cassada walked the line, Brew ripped a triple to even the score.
An out and a free pass to UTC football signee Luke Keith, Bear senior Jaxon Humble stepped in the box and sent a three-run shot over the left-field fence.
After leaving a pair of runners on base in the fourth, Bradley enforced the "mercy rule" with a seven-run fifth frame.
Keith reached on a 'Cane miscue and Humble was "plunked" to get the party started before a one-out walk to sophomore Tyler Cook jammed the sacks.
Northwestern football signee Tito Williams brought the first score home with a sac fly before Humble came home on a wild pitch.
Cassada then drew a base on balls to reload the bases and force a Hurricane pitching change.
Brew greeted the new hurler with a RBI-single before Cleveland State signee Hank Adams worked him for a walk to force home another run.
After Cassada came home on a wild pitch, Keith capped the scoring with a two-run triple, which was just the sixth Bear hit on the day.
On the hill, the Bryan College signee Leek (5-2, 1.45 ERA) struck out three, gave out three free passes to go with his three-hit effort.
Monday Game
BEARS 2
HURRICANES 0
The second and fourth-to-last batter for East Ham were the lone hits off Brew, who struck out eight and walked two, while facing just three over the minimum in Bradley's fifth shutout of the season.
After Grayson Maddox stroked a one-out single in the top of the first and Max Bohannon drew a walk, the Bears set down the next 17 Hurricanes in a row.
A leadoff single in the top of the seventh by Bohannon was the only other safety for the visitors.
The Bradley bats struggled as well early in the contest against Tennessee Tech commit Carson Davis, who got four of the first five Bears by strikeouts.
The hosts were able to make a threat in the second frame when Cook laced a single and Williams stroked a double. A walk to Leek jammed the sacks, but Davis got out of the inning with a fly ball to center field.
Bradley got another runner in scoring position in the third when Keith reached on an infield hit and moved to second on a throwing error. However, once again Davis induced a fly ball for the final out.
The Bears finally broke through in the fourth when Spane Bristol opened the at bat with a solid single before Cook was "plunked."
After a sac bunt by Williams, Leek stepped into the box and "pinged" a shot off the left-field wall for a two-bagger, driving in Bristol and Cook.
After a leadoff single by Keith in the fifth, Davis set down five of the outs on Ks, giving him 10 on the night to go with a trio of free passes.
Keith went 2-for-3 in the six-hit Bear attack, while Leek reached twice with his double and a walk.
Brew (3-1, 1.15 ERA) went the distance, notching 8 Ks, while allowing just a pair of walks and two hits in the shutout effort.
