5/3/19
(KINGSPORT, Tenn.) – The No. 3-seeded Truett McConnell University baseball team faced No. 6-seeded Union College in the opening round of the Appalachian Athletic Conference baseball tournament on Wednesday at Hunter Wright Stadium. The Bears came up short against the Bulldogs 6-3. Last time they met, TMU won the three-game AAC series (2-1) on the road during the regular season.
PLAY-BY-PLAY
The Bears got up on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second inning after a single to center field by freshman John Michael McRae. McRae ran home on a Jackson Meadors double deep down the right field line (1-0). Union responded at the top of the fourth with a run of their own (1-1). The Bulldogs sent a three-run home run over the left field fence in the top of the sixth (1-4), which ultimately proved to be the difference.
Senior Austin Bishop led off the bottom half of the sixth with a single through the hole at send base. Josh Johnston’s single to left moved over Bishop to second but Bishop was capable of stealing third and running home on a wild throw (2-4). Johnston went on to score on Calob Rowland’s double down the right field line (3-4).
The Bulldogs scored two more runs in the top of the seventh (3-6) and the Bears were never capable of recovering. The closest TMU got was in the bottom of the eighth when they left two on base.
LEADERS
Meadors led the way going 3-for-4 with an RBI and 2B. Johnston, Patrick Overstreet, Rowland and McRae all went 2-for-4. Overstreet and Rowland each had a 2B.
Senior Gregory Elder Jr. was handed the loss after throwing the first seven innings allowing five hits and striking out nine. Sophomore Craig Barton relieved Elder in the eighth and ninth innings allowing one hit, zero runs while striking out one.
UP NEXT
The Bears have a quick turnaround as they face No. 7-seeded Milligan College at 9:00 a.m., at Hunter Wright Stadium. Both teams will fight to stay alive in the double elimination tournament.
