BRADENTON, Fla. – Two good things happened to the Cullman Bearcats on Thursday. Before they went to the diamond to close out participating in the IMG Baseball Classic, the Bearcats learned they had been moved to No. 3 in the latest 6A state baseball poll. That was due to a 7-0 record last week and Decatur falling to seventh after losing twice in important area games to No. 2 Hartselle.
Then during the afternoon, the 'Cats rode the solid pitching of Carter Bowen and a stout defense to take down IMG Academy 3-2 and claim fifth place in this national invitational.
Three of the four games for the Bearcats were decided by a single run. Cullman lost Monday in 17 innings to Osceola, Florida 2-1 and Tuesday by a 7-6 score to Christian Brothers, Tennessee.
Bowen was very much in cruise control for the 'Cats. The right-hander allowed the Ascenders six hits and struck out five. Three times a strikeout from Bowen ended the inning, including the final out of the game.
Cullman gave Bowen a 2-run lead after the top half of the first. Noah Fondren was struck by a pitch to lead off and would leave the game. His condition following the contest was undetermined.
Kolby Robinson cracked a triple and an Owen Lovell single scored Robinson for the early momentum that would carry the Bearcats throughout the rest of the affair.
Lovell had a single against IMG's Chris Messer in leading off the third, was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Wheeler Eastman and came in when Jacob Heatherly grounded deep to second base. Cullman had a 3-0 lead and would keep IMG off the scoreboard until the fourth.
The Ascenders got a single against Bowen to lead off the frame with the runner coming in later on a wild pitch. Bowen was able to get out of further trouble and took a 3-1 lead to the fifth.
Zac Goens relieved Messer and allowed the 'Cats one hit through the final three innings.
IMG pushed in a run in the sixth to make it 3-2, but the turning point of the game came when a runner heading home following another single was gunned down by a fine Cullman relay. Chayton Grimmett fielded the ball in left, fired back to Levi Thomas who threw to Ben Smith at the plate. Smith applied the tag and the inning was over.
Bowen was aggressive in his final inning. He retired IMG in order with the game ending on a strikeout. Bowen bounced back in fine fashion after being charged with the loss in relief on Tuesday to Christian Brothers due to an unearned run being the game winner.
The Bearcats gained a 2-2 split to finish fifth in this 14-team national field. The 'Cats are now 22-6 and come back to Alabama to play two in Hoover Saturday.
Cullman and Hoover meet at noon, with the Bearcats to take on Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa at 2 p.m.
