CLEVELAND, Ga. (Feb. 15, 2020) – The Truett McConnell University baseball team hosted Indiana University Kokomo for games two and three of the nonconference three-game series on Saturday at the TMU Baseball Complex. After getting ahead 3-0 in game two, the Bears fell 6-4 and then lost again 2-0 in game three in a pitchers duel after six scoreless innings. The two losses put TMU at 3-9 on the season, while the Cougars improved to 5-2.
GAME TWO 4-6
Calob Rowland put the Bears up on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first on Mason Gaines' walk (1-0). After a scoreless inning and a half, sophomore Mason McLendon drove home Devyn Munroe and Connor Bearden on a single to shallow right field (3-0). IU Kokomo responded with a run of their own in the fourth (3-1) but scored twice more to tie it up in the fifth on a double and triple deep down the right field line (3-3). McLendon, however, singled once again to right field to score freshman Julian Galassi (4-3). However, it was only up from there for the Cougars. IU Kokomo scored three more earned runs on three hits in the seventh and the Bears were ultimately unable to recover (4-6).
LEADERS
McLendon led the way going 2-for-3 with three RBI's, while Josh Johnston went 2-for-4. Rowland, Munore and Gaines added a hit apiece.
Junior Craig Barton made the start on the mound for the Bears throwing six innings of five hits, three runs, three walks and seven strikeouts. Senior Nick Hammonds was handed the loss after allowing the go-ahead runs. Fellow senior Evan Bensch relieved the final inning for TMU allowing zero hits and zero runs.
GAME THREE 0-2 | PITCHERS DUEL
It came down to the final inning of the game after six scoreless innings with TMU only tallying three hits and IU Kokomo tallying two. However, the Cougars' designated hitter smacked a homer over the right field fence on a 3-1 count (0-1) and a single up the middle allowed the second and final run of the game (0-2) as the Bears were unable to get any on base in the bottom of the seventh.
LEADERS
Rowland led the way going 2-for-3, while Bearden was responsible for TMU's third hit. Junior Cason Brown pitched a stellar complete game of five hits, two runs, one walk and six strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Bears will face Bryan College on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 2:00 p.m., on the road before returning home to host Ohio Christian University for a three-game series on Friday, Feb. 21 – Saturday, Feb. 22.
