CLEVELAND, Ga. (March 7, 2019) – The Truett McConnell University baseball team won games one and two of the No. 14 Bryan College series to remain perfect in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. The Bears defeated the reigning AAC co-regular season champs 6-3, 4-3 to improve to 11-7, 5-0 AAC on the year.
GAME ONE (6-3)
The Lions got out front at the top of the fourth when Bryan's left fielder knocked a three run home run over the right field fence (0-3) but the Bears responded immediately with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. After Jackson Meadors walked, Calob Rowland touched home for TMU's first run of the day (3-1). Patrick Ovrestreet's single to left field drove in Austin Bishop (3-2) and John Michael McRae scored for the tying run on a defensive error (3-3).
Two more runs came in the fifth for the Bears on Overstreet's single deep down the left field line (5-3). Still holding Bryan scoreless, the Bears added another run in the eighth on a Josh Johnston single up the middle (6-3).
LEADERS
Overstreet went 2-for-3 while Rowland went 2-for-4 and Bishop went 2-for-5.
Cason Brown earned the win after throwing 8.1 innings allowing four hits and striking out four. Sophomore Craig Barton was credited the save.
GAME TWO (4-3)
The Lions were able to get out to a hot start as the first batter of the game hit a solo home run (0-1). The Lions pushed across two more in the top of the first before Will Ingram threw out a runner trying to steal second to end the inning (0-3). TMU responded in the bottom of the first with a run of their own. Meadors smacked a single to right field to knock in Rowland, who previously reached base on a walk, for the Bears' first run of the game (1-3).
After a scoreless top of the second, the Bears rallied in the bottom half of the inning. Ingram started the inning with a walk. Rowland came up next and burned the right fielder for a triple, scoring senior Shane Smith, who came in to pinch run for Ingram (2-3). Austin Bishop came up next and lined a single up the middle to score Rowland to tie the game (3-3). With two strikes, Josh Johnston smacked a triple over the right fielder's head to score Bishop, on what would end up being the deciding run. Both the Bears and the Lions were unable to get anything going for the remainder of the game as both teams were held scoreless for the final 5.0 innings.
After giving up three runs in a tough first inning, Freshman Brooks Rosser went on to toss 6 straight scoreless innings to earn his second win of the season. Rosser's complete game was the first for any pitcher on the Bears' pitching staff this season.
Leaders
Rowland, Bishop, Johnston, and Meadors each had one hit and one RBI apiece for the Bears.
Freshman Brooks Rosser had a stellar performance on the mound throwing a complete game allowing six hits while striking out four.
UP NEXT
Game three of the series is to be determined. Next up on the schedule is Point University; the Bears will take on the Skyhawks at the TMU Baseball Complex for a double header on Friday, March 15, at 12:00 p.m., and again for a single nine inning game on Saturday, March 16, at 1:00 p.m.
