3/5/19
CLEVELAND, Ga. (March 4, 2019) – The Truett McConnell University baseball team hosted Milligan College for game three of their first Appalachian Athletic Conference series of the season. After sweeping Saturday’s doubleheader, the Bears clinched their first series sweep after dominating game three in seven innings (18-6).
PLAY-BY-PLAY
Junior Josh Johnston sparked the first inning with a single through the hole at second base. After the Bears were able to load the bases, freshman John Michael McRae singled to left field to score the first run of the game (1-0). Junior Jackson Meadors came up next and hit a double down the right field line that scored two (3-0). The Bears were able to push one more run across in the first inning as freshman Tyler Pruetthit an RBI groundout to score McRae (4-0).
Pruett started the third inning with a double over the left fielder’s head. The Bears loaded the bases again and Johnston doubled down the left field line to score Pruett and fellow freshman Mason McLendon (6-0).
McRae and Meadors led off the top of the fourth inning with a pair of singles. After McLendon reached base on a walk, sophomore Mason Gaines came into pinch hit and singled through the hole at shortstop (7-0). Next, senior Austin Bishop was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded that scored Meadors (8-0).
The Bears were able to push four more runs across in the top of the fifth inning after a string of hits and a dropped fly ball (12-0). In fact, the Buffs were able to push two runs across in the bottom of the inning, but the Bears added to their lead in the top of the sixth.
Junior Calob Rowland led off the inning with a hit by pitch. McRae followed with a walk and then Meadors singled to right field to load the bases. After Pruett walked to score a run, freshman Will Ingram singled up the middle to score Meadors (14-2). The Bears were capable of adding four more runs in the inning to expand their lead (18-2).
Milligan added four more runs in the bottom of the sixth (18-6), but it wasn’t enough as the Bears proved to put the game out of reach.
Sophomore Craig Barton started on the mound and went 5.0 innings, giving up two earned runs on five hits, while striking out four. Senior Ryan Reagan and Junior Nick Hammonds closed out the game for the Bears combining to throw the last two innings.
LEADERS
Johnston led the offensive attack going 3-for-5 while driving in five RBI’s. Meadors was also stellar at the plate going 3-for-4 with two RBI’s and three runs scored. McRae rounded out his outstanding series performance going 3-for-4 on the day, making him 8-for-11 in the series against the Buffaloes.
The Bears bats were scorching hot against the Buffaloes over the course of the three game series as they scored 39 runs on 46 hits.
UP NEXT
The Bears have a quick turnaround as they host NCAA DII Southern Wesleyan University on Tuesday, March 4, at 2:00 p.m.
