CULLMAN – Monday night was senior night as well as kid’s night and the Cullman Bearcats looked to keep the momentum rolling from their thrilling extra-inning victory over Hartselle to take the Area 16 championship. But the Senators of Sparkman had different plans as they pounded Cullman pitching and took the single game matchup 8-3.
Andrew Stemple got the offense going for Sparkman in the top of the second inning when he led the frame off with a single to left field. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases before Braden Garrison lined out to a leaping Carter Bowen. The next Senator to the plate was Drake Sanchez and he was able to earn the RBI the easy way, with a base on balls that scored Stemple.
Cullman was able to retire the next two Sparkman batters and escaped the inning with just one run scored. The Cats went three up, three down in the bottom of the second, bringing the Senators back to the plate where they went right back to work.
Jared Howell led off the third inning with a walk and quickly moved up to second on a wild pitch. A batter later Stemple would bring him home with an RBI single. Stemple would come home to score on a two-out, RBI single from Reid Powers. He would then come home to score on a Garrison single to put Sparkman up 4-0. The Senators would tack on another run in the top of the fourth and a home run that was crushed by Howell and flew over the left centerfield fence.
Cullman would hang a crooked number in the fourth on RBI singles from Levi Thomas and Bowen. Owen Lovell would pick up an RBI in the sixth when he was intentionally walked with the bases loaded as Sparkman took the “he is not going to beat us” mentality, but the three runs would not be enough as Sparkman would tack on two more in the seventh and put the game out of reach, going on to take the 8-3 victory.
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