CLEVELAND, Ga. (Feb. 22, 2020) – The No. 14 Truett McConnell University softball team faced Faulkner University at the TMU Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Bears swept the nonconference doubleheader (4-3, 4-2) to improve to 5-1 on the season, while the Eagles fell to 0-2. The sweep is TMU's second straight sweep after last Friday's sweep over West Virginia University Institute of Technology.

GAME ONE 4-3

Senior Jaden Morrison sparked TMU's offense in the bottom of the first with a bunt for a base hit. After stealing second, Morrison was capable of running home on a defensive wild throw to second base to put the Bears up on the scoreboard first (1-0). In the bottom of the second, Macey Dunaway also ran home on a defensive error to immediately give the Lady Bears a two-run advantage (2-0). Despite a scoreless third, sophomore Alicia Price led off in the bottom of the fourth with a single to second base and scored TMU's third run on senior Sara Sullivan's single up the middle (3-0). In the same inning, Morrison scored again for TMU's fourth and final run of the game on freshman Justine Kennington's batted ball (4-0).

Faulkner was capable of scoring a run in the top of the fifth (4-1) but senior Bethany Hyde on the mound, backed up by stellar defense, forced the Eagles to leave three on base. In fact, Faulkner scored again in the sixth (4-2) and seventh (4-3) but the Lady Bears were capable of holding off the Eagles long enough to clinch their first win of the day.

LEADERS

Morrison led the offense going 2-for-4, with two runs, while Sullivan and Price added a hit apiece.

Hyde earned the win after pitching a complete game of 10 hits, three runs, five walks and four strikeouts.

GAME TWO 4-2

Faulkner scored the first run of the game this time around in the top of the first (1-0), however, the Lady Bears matched it in the bottom half. Senior Liz Bunton's single to shallow left field scored Kennington to immediately tie it back up (1-1). The Eagles were unable to score again in the second but it was only up from there for TMU. The bottom of the second saw Faulkner's center fielder over run Kennington's batted ball, which drove home pinch runner Katie Carruth, Price and Morrison (4-1).

A sacrifice fly allowed Faulkner to score once more in the fifth (4-2) but the Lady Bears ultimately clinched their second straight sweep.

LEADERS

Price led the way going 2-for-3, while Bunton went perfect (1-for-1) with an RBI. Sullivan added a hit.

Junior NAIA All-American Karley Hobbs earned her second win of the season after pitching a complete game of five hits, two runs, four walks and four strikeouts.

UP NEXT

The Lady Bears will hit the road for Middle Georgia State University on Tuesday, Feb. 25, for another nonconference doubleheader before the NAIA Leadoff Classic Tournament in Columbus, Georgia (Feb. 28 – March 1).