A long winter of rehabilitation and waiting paid off for Orange junior Kayden Bradsher on Monday night. Bradsher, who has been the Panthers’ leadoff batter the past two years, played his first game of the 2026 season and went 2-for-3 as the Panthers defeated Chapel Hill 10-5 in the opening game of the Hilltop Invitational at Orange High Field. In his first at-bat of the season, Bradsher lined a single to right field. He scored his first run of the season during a 9-run 3rd inning where the Panthers busted the game open. For the second week in a row, sophomore pitcher Tyler Thompson had a quality start on the mound. A week after making his varsity debut against Heritage, Thompson earned his first varsity win by throwing four innings against the Tigers, allowing only two hits. With his sidearm delivery, Thompson struck out five Tigers. Orange improved to 5-6 overall with its third win in four games. Bradsher was injured playing running back for the football team last fall, leaving the field with his arm in a sling in Orange’s 5A State Playoff game at Southeast Alamance. As he works himself back into game shape, Bradsher will join the Panthers to face Rolesville tonight at 7PM for the second game of the Hilltop Invitational at Orange High.
