(THOMASVILLE, Ga.) – On Saturday, the Truett McConnell University softball team continued their weekend road trip to face Thomas University, where the Lady Bears found their first victories of the season in sweeping fashion with a final score of 4-3 in game one and 5-4 in game two.
GAME ONE | 4-3
Game one saw TMU hit the ground running in the first inning as Jenna O’Brien led the way with a lead off single. O’Brien made her way home for the first run of the day after Kyndall Gipson recorded a single of her own. Cassie Boatright followed the action with an RBI double, closing out inning one with a score of 2-0. Thomas evened the play starting in the bottom of the first inning and continued to add to their score in the bottom of the third, but the Lady Bears did not back down as they rose to the occasion with Gipson RBI single and Hailey Cronic double to maintain the advantage (4-2). The Night Hawks add a final run in the bottom of the fifth, while TMU stayed sharp on defense to hold the game to a final score of 4-3.
LEADERS
Gipson led the way for the Lady Bears going 3 for 4 at the plate, along with two RBIs and one run. O’Brien tallied two hits on the day with two runs, while Emme Souter went 2 for 3 and Cronic went 1 for 2 with one RBI and one walk. Pitcher Kyleigh Sanders recorded six strikeouts on the day after pitching through seven complete innings.
GAME TWO | 5-4
The Lady Bears struck first once again in the top of the second inning, featuring a Rachel Morgan double to score Boatright, and Ellie Abner fielders choice to score Morgan, and O’Brien single to score Isabelle Sullivan and a Grace Folds sacrifice fly to make the score 4-0. Thomas worked to decrease the Lady Bears lead in the bottom of the sixth with two runs, but a Cronic double in the top of the seventh helped keep TMU ahead (5-2). A final effort from Thomas in the bottom of the seventh proved not enough the game concluded with a final score of 5-4.
LEADERS
Folds went 1 for 3 with one RBI, while O’Brien went 1 for 4 with one RBI and Boatright and Gipson individually went 1 for 4 with one run. Sullivan went 2 for 2 with one run, followed by Morgan who went 1 for 3 with one run and one RBI. Rebecca Graham went 2 for 3, while Gipson had a sharp performance from the mound with three strikeouts through seven complete innings.
UP NEXT
The Lady Bears travel to compete in the NFCA Tournament in Columbus, Ga. On Friday, Feb. 16 – Sunday, Feb. 18, where they are set to face Louisiana Christian, No. 12 University of Mobile, Webber International, No. 23 William Carey and University of Rio Grande.
