MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Feb. 16, 2019) – The No. 20 Truett McConnell University softball team won their eighth and ninth straight games on Saturday against the University of the Cumberlands (7-4) and No. 19 Faulkner University (1-0). The Lady Bears improved to 9-1 on the year.

COACH'S COMMENTS

 "Two more great road wins," Head Coach Jenni Shepard said. "A complete game win from Hyde allowing one earned run. We stepped off the bus ready to use our bars and put a lot of runs up on the scoreboard because of that. We multiple people with multiple hits.

A pitcher's duel but the Bears prevail behind a stellar outing from Hobbs, zero defensive errors and some great defensive plays to take away hits for Faulkner."

GAME ONE (7-4) vs. Cumberlands

Senior Brie Levy drove home fellow senior Kaitlynn Johnson with a sacrifice fly to score the first run of the game for the Lady Bears (1-0). Peyton Wilson's bunt for a base hit scored Sara Sullivan (2-0) and Macey Dunaway's single to right-center scored Wilson to put TMU at 3-run advantage immediately in the first inning. The Patriots scored three runs of their own in response in the bottom of the first but TMU swung for four more hits in the second.

Sullivan's single to right-center drove Jaden Morrison home (4-3) and Johnson ran home on wild throw (5-3). Freshman Briley Lawson's single to left-center enabled the third run of the inning for TMU (6-3).

The Lady Bears held the Patriots to just one more run in the bottom of the second. TMU's seventh and final run of the game came in the top of the fourth on Lawson's squeeze bunt (7-4).

LEADERS

Morrison went 3-for-3 while Sullivan and Duanway each went 3-for-4. Lawson and Wilson followed going 2-for-4.

Hyde was credited her fourth win of her junior campaign after striking out seven and walking three.

GAME TWO (1-0) vs. No. 19 Faulkner

Lawson, once again, rose the occasion for the Lady Bears. Her single through the hole at shortstop scored the winning run for TMU (1-0). Neither team was capable of crossing home plate the rest of the way.

Both pitcher's threw a complete game but Karley Hobbs was given the win. Hobbs walked none, struck out three and allowed four hits. TMU outhit the Eagles 5-4. Lawson went 2-for-3 and Johnson, Sullivan and freshman Alicia Price each recorded a hit apiece.

UP NEXT

The Lady Bears are back on the road for another nonconference doubleheader at Talladega College on Tuesday, Feb. 19, before their home opener on Wednesday, Feb. 20, against No. 17 William Carey University.