CLEVELAND, Ga. (March 17, 2019) – The Truett McConnell University baseball team won games one and two against Point University, who is receiving votes in the latest NAIA national top 25, on Saturday to win the Appalachian Athletic Conference series but it was Sunday's dominating win that secured the sweep over the Skyhawks (5-4, 10-2, 12-4). This sweep is the team's second AAC sweep, third AAC series win, and the Bears improved to 14-8, 8-1 AAC on the year to remain the No. 1 team in the conference.

GAME ONE (5-4)

Freshman Connor Bearden smashed a two-run home run over the right field fence on a full count to put the Bears up on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second inning (2-0). The Skyhawks responded with four hits and three runs of their own in the top of the third to get out front (2-3) but TMU refused stay behind. The Bears recorded five hits in the bottom of the fifth which enabled three more runs. Senior Patrick Overstreet's single to left field scored the tying run (3-3) and two more singles by freshman John Michael McRae and sophomore Jackson Meadors scored the final two (5-3).

A leadoff double and a single to follow led to another Point run (5-4) but Cason Brown on the mound backed up by stellar defense held the Skyhawks to a one-run deficit to secure the first win of the weekend.

LEADERS

Overstreet and Bearden each went 2-for-3 while Bishop, McRae and Meadors added a hit apiece.

Brown's win keeps him perfect on the mound (6-0) after he threw a complete game allowing nine hits, walking one and striking out two.

GAME TWO (10-2)

For the second game straight, the Bears were up on the scoreboard first. A leadoff double to deep left-center field by Bishop sparked a strong inning. To follow, Josh Johnston tripled to right-center field to send Bishop home (1-0) and Overstreet's sacrifice fly drove Johnston across the plate (2-0). McRae fed off the momentum to smash a double himself down the left field line and it was Meador's single to right that rewarded McRae with a run (3-0) to immediately put TMU at three-run advantage.

However, it was only up from there for the Bears. TMU's most dominating inning of the series came in the bottom of the fifth when they connected for six hits and seven runs. Pinch hitter Mason Gaines doubled to left field which scored Meadors for the first run (4-0). Two more singles by Bishop and Johnston sent home Bearden and pinch runner Shane Smith (6-0). An Overstreet double to left field scored Bishop and Johnston (8-0) and another double by McRae drove home Overstreet (9-0). Calob Rowland rounded out TMU's runs with an RBI single that drove McRae across the plate (10-0).

Point was held hitless and scoreless all the way into the seventh inning due to senior Gregory Elder Jr.'s stellar performance on the mound. Nick Hammonds entered into the game to relieve Elder in the seventh and the Skyhawks earned two runs but it proved not enough (10-2).

LEADERS

Johnston and McRae each went 3-or-4; Johnston was a home run away from hitting for the cycle and McRae recorded his sixth and seventh doubles of his freshman campaign. Bishop followed going 2-for-4 and Overstreet tallied three RBI's.

Elder earned the win after allowing just one hit, walking two and striking out eight. In addition, Elder recorded his 300th career strikeout. Hammonds walked none and struck out two.

GAME THREE (12-4)

Point was the first to be on the scoreboard this time around after a defensive error and two hits in the first (3-0). Nonetheless, the Bears came back even stronger in the bottom half of the inning. TMU's first four batters of the lineup all swung for singles which enabled two runs right off the bat (2-3). But Meadors' double to deep right field put the Bears back out front for good (4-2). Junior Evan Bensch followed up with a single to left field which scored Meadors (5-3).

Bishop rose to the occasion once again in the bottom of the second with his second homer of the week over the left field fence on a 1-0 count (6-3). Johnston drilled his second double of the series deep down the right field line and Overstreet singled to drive him home (7-3). Two more TMU runs came in the bottom of the fourth when Rowland doubled to deep right field (9-3). A Bishop single scored Bearden in the fifth (10-3) and another Johnston RBI double and Overstreet RBI single rounded out the Bears' runs.

Two doubles led to a Skyhawk run in the top of the sixth but the game proved to be out of reach.

LEADERS

Bishop and Johnston each had another outstanding performance at the plate going 4-for-5. Overstreet followed going 3-for-5.

Sophomore Craig Barton earned his second win of the season after throwing 5.2 innings allowing seven hits and striking out five. Freshman Brooks Rosser relieved Barton for the final 3.1 innings allowing three hits, zero runs, walking one and striking out one.

UP NEXT

The Bears are set to host nonconference opponent Toccoa Falls College on Tuesday, March 19, at 3:00 p.m.