CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman Bearcats returned home to Bill Shelton Field for a pair of varsity matchups against Hoover on Friday night. The ‘Cats dominated game one, earning a 10-0 win in six innings thanks to a dominant performance on the mound from Cooper Loftin and a 13-hit showing at the plate. The Bucs bounced back in game two, defeating the Bearcats 7-3 to leave Bill Shelton Field with a split.
Cullman 10 – Hoover 0 (Game One)
The Bearcats got off to a fast start. Brooks Heatherly led off the bottom of the first with a single and Jonah Inman was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on the bases. Carson Stancil lined a single back up the middle to bring Heatherly home and give Cullman a 1-0 lead. Two pitches later, Tyler Brock launched a 3-run homer over the center field wall to extend the lead to 4-0 going into the second inning.
With a pair of Bucs on base and just one out, Loftin worked his way out of a jam to keep Hoover off the board. Caleb Heis reached base on an error in the bottom of the second and Heatherly brought him around to score with a double to center field, putting the ‘Cats in front 5-0 going into the third.
Stancil and Brock led off the bottom of the third with back to back singles to create another scoring opportunity for Cullman. After Brock stole next during the next at bat, Andrew Au shot a 2-run single into center field to make it a 7-0 game after three. Hoover was able to get two more runners on base in the top of the fourth, but Inman picked off the runner at first to end the inning and keep the Bucs off the board.
In the bottom half of the inning, Loftin punched an RBI single into right field to plate Knox Mauldin and stretch the lead to 8-0. Just a few pitches later, Brock scored on an error to put the Bearcats ahead 9-0 headed to the fifth.
After a scoreless fifth inning, Loftin took just four pitches to collect three outs in the top of the sixth and Cullman wrapped things up in the home half of the inning. Stancil led things off with a single to right field and after a passed ball put him in scoring position, Brock lined a double into center field to plate Stancil and finish off a 10-0 win over Hoover.
Loftin pitched six shutout innings on the mound, allowing just four hits and striking out four to keep the Bucs off the scoreboard.
Brock finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs. Stancil (one RBI) added three hits as well and Heatherly (one RBI) and Colter Bowen each posted a pair of hits in the win. Au (one hit) added a pair of RBIs.
Hoover 7 – Cullman 3 (Game Two)
Hoover plated one run in the top of the first to take an early lead and added another run in the second to make it a 2-0 game. A solo home run put the Bucs in front 3-0 in the top of the third, but Brooks Heatherly scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the third to trim the lead to 3-1.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Hoover stretched its lead to 4-1 in the top of the fifth. An RBI single from Tyler Brock drove Knox Mauldin in to score and cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth but the Bucs responded with three more runs in the top of the seventh to take a 7-2 lead into the final frame.
Cale Graves and Heatherly each drew walks and Bennett Johnson singled to right field to load the bases. Carson Stancil ripped another single to right to score Graves and trim the lead to 4 but the Bearcats couldn’t chip away any more than that and Hoover took the second matchup of the doubleheader 7-3.
Johnson (one RBI) and Heatherly each posted a pair of hits in the loss. Stancil and Brock both added a hit and an RBI as well.
Cullman will travel to Hartselle on Tuesday to take on the Tigers.
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