CLEVELAND, Ga. (Feb. 3, 2021) –  After picking up their second straight win (9-3), the Truett McConnell University baseball team split with Olivet Nazaerene University dropping game two (15-8) in their season-opening doubleheader on Wednesday evening at the TMU Baseball Complex.
 
GAME ONE (9-3)
The visiting Tigers got up on the scoreboard first in the first and again in the second (0-2). TMU, however, answered in the bottom of the third when pinch runner Ethan Roberts ran home on a fielder's choice (1-2). ONU scored again in the fourth (1-3) on a single to left, but that would be the last time as it was only up from there for the Bears. Freshman Kodi Bishop hit a single to left to send home Cason King in the bottom of the fourth (2-3), but it was Tanner Griffith's leadoff single in the fifth to left field that fueled TMU's biggest inning.
 
ONU's balk sent in the tying run (3-3), and it was Andrew Johnston's two RBI single to left-center that put the Bears out front for good (5-3). Most notable, Bishop followed up with a two-run homerun (7-3). TMU's final two runs came in the bottom of the sixth off a pair of singles by Josh Johnston and Devyn Munroe (8-3). Most notable defensively, junior catcher Will Ingram threw out two ONU baserunners trying to steal second base in the fourth and fifth innings.
 
LEADERS
Griffith's perfect 3-for-3 game led the way, including two runs and a walk. A. Johnston and Bishop followed going 2-for-3 with a run apiece. Bishop led with three RBI's, while A. Johnston had two. J. Johnston also had two RBI's. Sophomore Jared Johnson picked up his first collegiate win from the pitcher's mound. Gabe Dyar made the start, while C.J. Thomas relieved the final two innings.
 
GAME TWO (8-15)
TMU's momentum carried over into game two as they came out hot in the bottom of the first. A. Johnston's sacrifice bunt squeeze scored J. Johnston for TMU's first run of the game (1-0), and Munroe followed up with a single to second, which drove home Mascarello (2-0). Bishop went on to score Munroe and King on a single to shallow left field to give the Bears a four-run cushion right off the bat (4-0). Olivet immediately answered with three runs of their own in the second (4-3), but it was at the top of the third when the Tigers took the lead (4-5).
 
After the Tigers added two more runs at the top of the fourth (4-7), TMU managed to get back out front in the bottom of the fourth. J. Johnston ran home on a wild pitch (5-7), but it was Bishop's two-run single to shallow right-field that tied it up 7-7. Freshman Logan Nelson singled to left for the go-ahead run for TMU (8-7), but that would be the last run for the Bears as ONU avoided the sweep scoring twice more in the fifth (8-9) and six more times in the sixth (8-15).
 
LEADERS
Bishop led with four RBIs, going 2-for-3 from the plate. Munroe also went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Nelson made his debut going 2-for-2 with an RBI.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears have a quick turnaround as they look to face No. 4 St. Thomas University at the TMU Baseball Complex at 4:00 p.m.