3/28/19
(CLEVELAND) -The No. 16 Truett McConnell University softball team swept No. 23 Tennessee Wesleyan University (5-4, 6-2), who was undefeated in the Appalachian Athletic Conference, to claim the number one spot in the AAC rankings. The Lady Bears improved to 26-6, 11-1 AAC on the year while the Bulldogs dropped to 17-3, 14-2 AAC.
GAME ONE (5-4)
After a leadoff single by Kaitlynn Johnson, the Lady Bears got up on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first when junior Peyton Wilson singled down the left field line to drive home Johnson (1-0). The Bulldogs were capable of matching the run with one of their own in the top of the third on a single to center field (1-1). However, it didn’t take long for TMU to get back out front. In the bottom of the third, freshman Briley Lawsoncrushed her fifth homer of the season over the right field fence on a 1-1 count (2-1) to put the Lady Bears out front for good. Nonetheless, junior Liz Bunton doubled to further push the lead in the fourth (3-1).
Tennessee Wesleyan recorded one run in the top of the fifth (3-2) but Lawson was unstoppable. Lawson smacked a two-run dinger, her sixth of the season, over the left field fence on a 2-2 count (5-2) in the bottom of the fifth to round out the Lady Bears’ runs.
The Bulldugs scored two more times in the sixth to get within one (5-4) but Karley Hobbs was credited the save after she forced two ground outs to the mound and struck out another swinging.
LEADERS
Lawson led going 2-for-2 with three RBI’s while Johnson, Brie Levy, Wilson, Alicia Price and Bunton added a hit apiece.
Junior Bethany Hyde earned the win after throwing six innings allowing three earned runs and striking out five.
GAME TWO (6-2)
Tennessee Wesleyan scored first this time around and in fact, held the Lady Bears scoreless through the first three innings (0-2). However, Levy sparked the fourth inning for TMU with a double to deep left-center. Wilson followed up with an RBI single to cut the deficit to one run (1-2).
The Bulldogs were shutout in the fifth with one left on base but it was only up from there for the Lady Bears. Wilson singled again down the right field line to score Levy for the tying run (2-2) and Price’s single to shallow left brought home Lawson for the go-ahead run (3-2). After holding the Bulldogs scoreless again in the top of the fifth, the Lady Bears went on to swing for four hits and record three more runs. Sara Sullivan and Levy both doubled to deep center field to put the game out of reach (6-2).
LEADERS
Levy went perfect at the plate, 3-for-3, while Wilson went 2-for-4. Morrison went 1-for-2 while seven other Lady Bears recorded a hit apiece. TMU outhit the Bulldogs 13-7.
Hobbs, the most recent AAC pitcher of the week, added another win throwing a complete game to stay perfect on the year (17-0) after allowing seven hits, two earned runs, walking one and striking out three.
UP NEXT
The Lady Bears are on the road to face AAC foe Brenau University on Friday, March 29, at 5:00 p.m. (DH).
