CLEVELAND, Ga. (Mar. 19, 2021) – On Friday, the Truett McConnell University softball team competed against Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Union College in a doubleheader, inside the TMU Softball Complex. The Lady Bears dominated in both games, completing game one in five innings with a final score of 10-2 and a score of 2-0 in game two. TMU rose to a record of 13-5, 6-0 AAC, while the Bulldogs declined to a record of 7-15, 3-7 AAC.

The Lady Bears outhit the visiting team in both games, with 11 hits in game one and five in game two, as opposed to Union's two hits in each.

GAME ONE 10-2 | 5 INNINGS

In the top of the first, Union was capable of getting runners in scoring position, but a stellar double play from a tagged force out at third by Alicia Price and full split stretch on the thrown ball to first from Mikayla Sullens, ended the inning damage free for TMU. The Lady Bears carried the momentum into the bottom of the first, with a leadoff walk from Anna Thomas, who then stole second and proceeded to score from a Mattie Brooks single to right field (1-0). TMU tallied another game changing double play in the top of the second, executed from the circle by Bethany Hyde, who immediately followed the play with a strikeout to conclude the inning. The bottom of the second saw Katherine Kozlowski send a ball to deep left-center to score Justine Kennington from second (2-0). Kozlowski advanced to third on a stolen base and continued to score on a sacrifice fly from Sullens (3-0).

The Bulldogs made their way to the board in the top of the fourth off a single run homerun (3-1), but TMU quickly retaliated with a two-run homerun of their own from Mattie Brooks, putting the Lady Bears up 5-1. Union scored once more in the top of the fifth, ultimately not enough as the game was put out of reach after TMU scored five more runs in the bottom of the fifth, forcing the mercy rule into effect with a score of 10-2.

LEADERS

Brooks led game one going 3-for-3 at the plate, along with four RBIs and two runs. Kozlowski and senior Sara Sullivan individually went 2-for-3, with two runs and a single RBI, followed by Kennington, junior Briley Lawson and sophomore Lauren Barrett who all had one hit and RBI apiece. Sophomore Sabrina Pestana Aguiar had a hit of her own. Hyde recorded her sixth win of the season, including two strikeouts, two hits, two runs, and six walks.

GAME TWO 2-0

The first two innings saw the Lady Bears put pressure on the Bulldogs defense with runners in scoring position, while also dominating on defense. The top of the fourth featured a textbook double play by TMU, that began with a grounder to Karley Hobbs in the circle, who threw the ball to Kozlowski for the force out at second, followed by a perfect throw to first to end the inning.

Both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when an Ellie Abner double to deep right-center sent Alicia Price home from second, followed by Barrett stealing home on a wild pitch to put the Lady Bears up 2-0. The Bulldogs were capable of getting runners on in the top of the sixth and seventh inning, but due to TMU's resilient defense, game two was clinched by the home team with a final score of 2-0.

LEADERS

Kennington led the way by going 2-for-3 at the plate, followed by Abner who went 1-for-2 with a single RBI. Brooks and Sullivan had one hit apiece, while Barrett and Price individually tallied a single run. Hobbs earned her seventh win of the season, recording zero runs, four strikeouts, two hits, and three walks.

UP NEXT

The Lady Bears are back in action inside the TMU Softball Complex Saturday, March 20, where they will compete in an AAC match up with Kentucky Christian University, with game times at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.