CULLMAN, Ala. – After picking up an 11-2 win over Golden High School from Colorado Thursday night, the Bearcats returned to Bill Shelton Field Friday night to host a doubleheader against Buckhorn and recognize this year’s senior class. A late score in the sixth inning helped the Bucks take a tight game one 4-3 but the ‘Cats bounced back in game two and picked up a 4-1 win over Buckhorn. This year’s group of seniors were honored between games.
Buckhorn 4 – Cullman 3 (Game One)
Hayden Stancil struck out three of the first four batters he faced in the top of the first to get things started for Cullman, but the Bucks led off the top of the second with a solo homerun to take an early, 1-0 lead. Two more strikeouts helped Stancil get out of the inning without any further damage and the Bearcats responded in their half of the second.
A leadoff single from Riley Jackson put a runner at first and Tucker Cagle drew a walk to give Cullman a pair on the basepaths. Bunts by Zac Edwards and Easton Peed moved the runners into scoring position and Jake Dueland ripped a double into right field to score both of them and put the ‘Cats ahead 2-1 going into the third.
Buckhorn moved back in front 3-2 with a 2-run homer in the top of the third and the Bearcats went into the fourth trailing by one. After a scoreless fourth inning, Cullman got back on the board in the fifth. Kaleb Heatherly reached base with a double into center field, Stancil followed him with a single up the middle and Jack Stanford was hit by a pitch to load up the bases. Just a few pitches later, Jackson lifted a sacrifice fly into right field and Heatherly scored from third to tie the game at 3 going into the sixth.
Unfortunately for the home crowd, the Bucks scored in the top half of the sixth with a sacrifice fly as well to retake a 1-run lead and the Bearcats were only able to get one more runner on base in the final two innings, allowing Buckhorn to hold onto a 4-3 win in game one.
Stancil tossed a complete game for Cullman, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out nine Bucks batters. Dueland (one hit) finished with a pair of RBIs and Stancil added two hits in the loss. Jackson (one hit) posted an RBI as well.
Cullman 4 – Buckhorn 1 (Game Two)
An RBI double gave Buckhorn an early, 1-0 lead in the top of the first but neither team could get any runs on the board in the second. Cullman answered in the bottom of the third. Singles by Garrett Hall, Riley Jackson and Kaleb Heatherly put some Bearcats in scoring position and Hayden Stancil drove a 2-run single into left field to put the ‘Cats in front 2-1 going into the fourth inning.
Following a scoreless fourth, Cullman added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth when Stancil blasted a 2-run homer over the wall in left field to make it a 4-1 game. The Bucks managed to load the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth but a strikeout from Jackson got the Bearcats out of the jam unscathed. The ‘Cats collected the final three outs in the top half of the seventh and capped off the night with a 4-1 win.
Stancil finished 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs in the win. Jackson, Hall and Heatherly each posted a pair of hits for Cullman as well. Tucker Cagle tossed four innings on the mound, allowing one run on three hits, and striking out five batters. Easton Peed pitched 1.2 innings in the win as well, allowing just one hit and striking out two and Jackson finished things off, putting out all four batters he faced to wrap up the win.
Cullman will be on the road Tuesday to take on Madison Academy.
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