Tucker Cagle pitched a two-hit shutout Thursday night, helping Cullman stave off elimination with a 3-0 win over Gardendale in the Class 6A quarterfinal series.

The Bearcats, who dropped Game 1 by a score of 6-2, will play the Rockets in a win-or-go-home tilt on Friday at 6 p.m. for a spot in the semifinals.

In Game 2, the Black and Gold plated a run in the first inning on a Gardendale error and another run in the second inning on Paxton Ponder’s two-out RBI single.

Ponder added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning to put Cullman ahead 3-0.

That was more than enough for Cagle, who struck out seven and walked none on 78 pitches.

Ponder (two RBIs) and Elijah Hays notched three hits apiece for Cullman (22-20), while Cody Jones, Easton Peed, Hunter Howell and Riley Jackson each provided one hit.

In the opener, Cullman led off the first inning with four straight singles — scoring on a throwing error and an infield hit by Cagle — to take a 2-0 lead.

Gardendale, though, clocked two homers in the second inning — a solo shot and a three-run shot — to surge ahead 4-2. The Rockets then scored insurance runs in the sixth and seventh frames to pad their cushion.

The Bearcats had a few chances offensively throughout the clash but were unable to scratch across more runs despite a handful of hard-hit balls and loud outs.

Jackson and Ponder collected two hits apiece, while Cagle (RBI), Hays, Howell and Cole Floyd each netted one.