3/9/20

(CLEVELAND) – The No. 9 Truett McConnell University softball team swept St. Andrews University (4-1, 4-1) in their Appalachian Athletic Conference season opener, which was their fourth and fifth straight wins, at the TMU Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Bears improved to 11-2, 2-0 AAC on the season, while the Knights fell to 9-15, 3-3 AAC.

GAME ONE 4-1

After sophomore Alicia Price doubled to left field, Price scored on a fielder’s obstruction (1-0) to put the Lady Bears up on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second. The bottom of the third saw senior Liz Bunton lead off with a walk but fellow senior Sarah Wills drove home Bunton on a single through the hole at shortstop to give TMU a two-run cushion (2-0). SAU answered with a run of their own in the top of the fourth (2-1) but that would be the last time the Knights scored the rest of the way. Senior Jaden Morrison sparked the bottom of the sixth with a triple to deep left-center and freshman Justin Kennington scored Morrison with a single to shallow right (3-1). Nonetheless, senior Sara Sullivan followed up with a triple of her own to deep right field, which drove home Kennington for TMU’s fourth and final run (4-1).

LEADERS

Overall, the Lady Bears outhit the Knights 9-2 and were led by Sullivan, who went 2-for-4. Junior Kathrine Kozlowski went 1-for-2, while Morrison, Kennington, freshman Ellie Abner, Wills, Price and senior Macey Dunaway all added a hit apiece.

Senior Bethany Hyde was credited her sixth win of the season after throwing a complete game of two hits, zero earned runs, nine walks and eight strikeouts.

GAME TWO 4-1

SAU was capable of getting up on the scoreboard right off the bat in the first (1-0) but Kozlowski responded with a single to shallow left to score Morrison in the bottom half (1-1). After holding the Knights scoreless in the top of the second, Kennington smacked a two-RBI single to the infield (3-1). The bottom of the third, however, saw Dunaway send her first collegiate homer over the left field fence on a 2-1 count (4-1), which ultimately concluded the Lady Bears’ runs for the day.

LEADERS

The Lady Bears outhit the Knights again (8-5) and were led by Morrison (2-for-4) and Kennington (2-for-3). Morrison also led with two runs and added a stolen base, while Dunaway went 1-for-1 with a run and RBI. Kozlowski, Wills and Abner added a hit apiece.

Junior All-American Karley Hobbs was credited the win after throwing a complete game of five hits, one run, two walks and four strikeouts.

UP NEXT

The Lady Bears are set to host another AAC foe, Columbia International University, on Monday, March 9, at 2:00 p.m.