BARBOURBVILLE, Ky. (March 20, 2019) – The Truett McConnell University baseball team, who is receiving votes in the latest NAIA national top 25, split the Appalachian Athletic Conference opening doubleheader against Union College on the road (8-2, 8-0). The Bears moved to 16-9, 9-2 AAC on the year while the Bulldogs 16-10, 6-5 AAC.
GAME ONE (8-2)
Junior Josh Johnston immediately got the Bears started out on the right foot with his third homer of the season over the right field fence on a 1-0 count at the top of the fifth (1-0). The Bulldogs responded with a run of their own to match in the bottom of the first (1-1). TMU was unable to score again in the top of the second despite leaving two on base and Union came out to dominate the bottom half of the second. The Bulldogs swung for six hits and scored five runs (1-6).
Mason Gaines' sac fly drove home John Michael McRae for the Bears' second run (2-6) but TMU was never fully able to fully recover as Union held the Bears scoreless the rest of the way all the while scoring two more times (2-8).
LEADERS
Six Bears recorded a hit apiece; Johnston, McRae, Calob Rowland, Jackson Meadors, Gaines and Connor Bearden.
Cason Brown was handed the loss after throwing 6.1 innings allowing 12 hits, walking one and striking out two. Nich Hammonds relieved Brown for the last 1.2 innings.
GAME TWO (8-0)
Senior Gregory Elder Jr. led the Bears to victory on the mound holding the Bulldogs scoreless and to just two hits. In the same breath, the Bears swung for eight hits themselves. Fellow senior Austin Bishop scored the Bears' first run of the game in the first inning on a passed ball (1-0) and McRae's single to center field scored Johnston to immediately put the Bears at a two run advantage (2-0).
Another run for TMU came in the top of the second when Johnston hit a sacrifice fly to deep right-center field (3-0). Still holding the Bulldogs scoreless, the Bears dominated the fourth inning. TMU scored five runs and recorded four hits (8-0).
LEADERS
McRae led going 2-for-4 while Bishop, Johnston, Patrick Overstreet tallied an RBI apiece. Meadors went 1-for-3 and recorded three RBI's.
Elder earned his third win of his senior campaign after throwing a complete game shutout matching his season high of 14 strikeouts. Edler's current opponent batting average ranks 17 in the country (0.170).
UP NEXT
The deciding game of the AAC series will take place on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.