CULLMAN, Ala. – After falling just short in their area game at Mortimer Jordan on Tuesday afternoon, the Bearcats hosted the Blue Devils in a huge area doubleheader on Thursday night. Game one saw Mortimer Jordan get out to a quick 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth, but in the blink of an eye, Cullman’s offense quickly exploded in the next two innings, scoring seven in the fourth, and they added eight more runs in the fifth to help seal their 15-5 win over the Blue Devils. Cullman jumped out to a quick lead in game two and kept added onto their lead as the game went on, as they would go on to complete their sweep of Mortimer Jordan, 14-1.
Cullman 15 – Mortimer Jordan 5 (Game One)
Michael Shadeck got the start for the Bearcats in game one and instantly gave up a home run to lead off the game, but he was able to limit the damage after that. Cullman went down in order in the first two innings, then Mortimer Jordan added a two-out RBI single in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Case Edwards led off the bottom of the third with a single, and a sacrifice bunt moved him over to second, but the Blue Devils were able to collect the final two outs of the inning to keep the Bearcats off of the scoreboard. Mortimer Jordan continue to pad their lead in the top of the fourth, as they drove in a run on a ground ball and a two-run double to stretch their lead to 5-0.
After getting shut down by Mortimer Jordan’s starting pitcher through three innings, Cullman’s offense quickly came to life in a big way in the bottom of the fourth. A pair of walks and an error loaded the bases, then Colt Colvard hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Tyler Brock to cut it to 5-1. A hit by pitch loaded up the bases once again, then Case Edwards added a sacrifice fly of his own to make it a 5-2 game. A walk loaded the bases with two outs, and Brody Vincent drove in Cross Bowen on an RBI single to trim it to just a two-run game. The biggest blow of the inning, though, would come from one of Cullman’s hottest hitters, Jonah Inman, as he lined a 3-0 pitch over the right field fence for a grand slam to give the Bearcats their first lead of the game at 7-5.
New pitcher Griffin Wright worked around a couple of walks to get out of the fifth inning unscathed. Cullman’s offense ended things in their half. Carson Stancil led off the inning with a single, then Bowen lined an RBI double to left field to put Cullman up, 8-5. A hit by pitch put runners at first and second with nobody out, and Knox Mauldin lined an RBI single to left field to make it 9-5. A sacrifice bunt followed by a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out, then a sacrifice fly by Vincent brought home both Colvard and Mauldin to stretch their lead to 11-5. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, then a balk allowed Jake Weathersby to score to make it 12-5. Another walk brought home Inman, and Colvard ended the game with a two-run single to center field to give the Bearcats the 15-5 win in game one.
Inman finished with a grand slam in the game for Cullman. Colvard and Vincent both ended up with a hit and three RBIs. Bowen posted a hit and two RBIs, while Mauldin and Edwards each collected a hit and an RBI in the win.
Cullman 14 – Mortimer Jordan 1 (Game Two)
Griffin Wright took the mound to start out game two for the Bearcats and despite walking the leadoff hitter, he settled down and got two straight strikeouts, then after walking the next batter, he punched out the next one to keep Mortimer Jordan off of the scoreboard. Cullman’s offense picked up from where they left off last game. Inman drew a leadoff walk, then an error put runners at the corners with nobody out. Carson Stancil hit an RBI single up the middle to give the Bearcats the early lead. Another single loaded the bases for Colvard, whose sacrifice fly made it 2-0.
Wright set the Blue Devils down in order in the second, and Cullman added another run in their half. Weathersby led off the inning with a triple to right field, then one out later, Weathersby came home to score on a fielder’s choice to put the Bearcats up, 3-0. Mortimer Jordan loaded the bases in the top of the third, and a bases-loaded walk cut it to 3-1, but new pitcher Max Carver came in and struck out the first batter he saw to keep it at a two-run game.
Cullman added on to their lead in the bottom of the third. Bowen and Colvard led off the inning with back-to-back singles, then after a double steal, Mauldin lined an RBI single to center field to make it 4-1. Shadeck came in for Mauldin and proceeded to steal second two pitches later, then on the next pitch, Vincent’s RBI single up the middle brought home Colvard, then Weathersby drove in Shadeck on a bunt single to widen their lead to 6-1. Later that inning, the Bearcats loaded the bases with one out, and Brock’s sacrifice fly made it 7-1.
For the second straight game, Cullman broke the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth. Bowen led off the inning with a single, then after a ground ball moved him over to third, Mauldin lined the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for a two-run home run to give the Bearcats a commanding 9-1 lead.
After a walk, Weathersby’s second triple of the game brought home pinch-runner Cannon Bowen, then Edwards added a sacrifice fly to make it 11-1. After a hit by pitch, Wynn Shannon, Inman’s pinch-runner, moved up to second and third on a pair of wild pitches, and Brock hit an RBI single to put them up, 12-1. Three pitches later, Stancil launched a two-run home run over the right field fence to give them a 14-1 lead. After giving up a leadoff single in the top of the fifth, Carver quickly collected the final three outs of the game to put the finishing touches on a 14-1 rout in game two and a sweep of the Blue Devils.
Stancil (home run) and Mauldin (home run) both finished with a pair of hits and three RBIs in the win for the Bearcats. Weathersby added a trio of hits and two RBIs. Brock posted a hit and two RBIs, while Colvard (one hit), Vincent (one hit), Inman, and Edwards all drove in a run for Cullman (23-6, 5-1). Wright and Carver combined to give up just three hits, one earned run, walked four, and struck out eight in five innings.
The Bearcats will travel to take on Memphis University School on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. and will also take on Collierville to close out the regular season at 1:30 p.m.
