CLEVELAND, Ga. (Feb. 28, 2020) – The Truett McConnell University baseball team defeated the NAIA national champions, No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan University, 5-3 on Friday afternoon for their Appalachian Athletic Conference season opener. The Bears improved to 8-9, 1-0 AAC on the season, while the Bulldogs dropped their third game of the season (10-3, 0-1 AAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED

After a scoreless first inning, the Bulldogs led off with a walk and got up on the scoreboard first with a double to deep right field and scored again on a squeeze play to immediately get out front by two (0-2). TMU answered with a run of their own in the bottom half when Will Ingram singled to left-center to drive home fellow sophomore Andrew Johnston (1-2), after he reached base on a single to right-center. Neither team was capable of scoring the next three innings with TMU completing two double plays; however, the Bears took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. After Devyn Munroe reached base on a walk, fellow freshman Brian Meyer bunted for a base hit but a defensive wild throw allowed Munroe to score the tying run (2-2). Furthermore, another defensive wild throw allowed Meyer to put TMU in the lead for good (3-2).

The Bears added another in the bottom of the seventh when Josh Johnston singled to right field to send home fellow senior Shane Smith (4-2). The top of the eighth saw junior Craig Barton strike out three straight batters and the bottom half saw freshman Tanner Griffith single up the middle to give the Bears a three-run cushion heading into the ninth (5-2). The Bulldogs led off the ninth with a double to deep right-center field and scored on a sacrifice fly (5-3), but that would be the last time TWU ran home as the Bears secured the program's first ever victory over a No. 1-ranked team.

LEADERS

J. Johnston, Meyer, A. Johnston, sophomore Jacob Ross, Ingram, junior Mason Gaines and Griffith all recorded a hit apiece for the Bears, while A. Johnston led with two runs and Munroe walked three times.

Cason Brown earned his third win of his junior campaign after throwing six innings of seven hits, five walks and three strikeouts. Most notable defensively, Brown made a clutch diving play to catch a pop up in foul territory in the top of the sixth. Barton was credited his first save of the season after relieving the final three innings to tally one hit, two walks and four strikeouts.

UP NEXT

The Bears and Bulldogs will return to action at the TMU Baseball Complex to complete the three-game AAC series on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.