4-28-19
(KINGSPORT, Tenn.) – The No. 11 Truett McConnell University softball team faced Milligan College in a double elimination battle in the Appalachian Athletic Conference softball tournament on Friday afternoon in windy conditions. The Lady Bears came up short in extra innings (2-1), eliminating them from the tournament. In fact, all top three-seeded teams in the tournament have all been eliminated after losing twice.
PLAY-BY-PLAY | PITCHER’S DUEL
Both teams went head to head through the first seven innings holding one another scoreless. The Buffaloes connected for three hits while the Lady Bears earned two of their own. However, Milligan rallied in the top of the eighth to swing for two more hits to score the go-ahead run and the winning run (0-2). The Buffaloes loaded the bases with two outs but the back-to-back pitcher of the year, Karley Hobbs, forced a ground out to second base.
TMU rallied themselves to swing for three hits in the bottom half of the eighth. With elimination on the line, junior Liz Bunton singled to right field to reach first. Junior All-Conference second team member, Jaden Morrison, hit a sacrifice bunt to move pinch runner Kataryna Fuller over to second with two outs. Senior Kaitlynn Johnson followed up with a single to second base and junior Sara Sullivan singled through the hole at shortstop to drive in Fuller to put the Lady Bears behind by a run (1-2). Senior Brie Levy went on to load the bases after sending a ball under the third baseman’s glove. But a fielder’s choice ultimately made the Lady Bears come up short.
LEADERS
Johnson was the only Lady Bears to have a multi-hit game going 2-for-4 while Sullivan, Briley Lawson and Bunton added a hit apiece.
Hobbs was handed her second loss of the year (29-2) after pitching a complete game of five hits, two runs and four strike outs.
UP NEXT
TMU will now wait and see who they will face in the opening round of the NAIA national championship opening round, which will take place at various campus sites May 13 – May 15.
