WEST POINT, Ga. (Mar. 20, 2021) – After dropping game one of the three-game Appalachian Athletic Conference series at Point University on Friday, the Truett McConnell University baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader (8-7, 7-1) to drop the series. The Bears are now 12-11, 3-6 AAC on the season, while the Skyhawks sit at 15-7, 9-3 AAC.

GAME ONE 7-8
Andrew Johnston's single to shallow left in the first drove home Julian Galassi to put the Bears up on the board first (1-0). TMU scored another on Cason King's batted ball to immediately earn a two-run lead (2-0). Point was only capable of answering with one run in the bottom half (2-1), while TMU added another run on a Grant McDonel single to left in the top of the third (3-1). The Skyhawks scored in the bottom of the third (3-2) but it was in the bottom of the fourth when Point took the lead (3-5).

The Bears were capable of inching back in from behind on a Will Ingram single to right (4-5), while Ethan Roberts ran home for the tying run on a Mason Gaines single at the top of the seventh (5-5), but the Skyhawks stole the lead once again, this time for good, in the bottom half (5-8). Josh Johnston sparked the eighth, however, with a leadoff triple to deep right-center. J. Johnston scored on Mikal Mascarello's batted ball (6-8) and A. Johnston ran home on Devyn Munroe's single to right to get back within a single run (7-8). After holding the Skyhawks hitless and scoreless in the bottom of the eight, TMU rallied to get the bases loaded at the top of the ninth. However, Point ultimately clinched the win by one holding the Bears scoreless to secure the series win.

LEADERS
Despite coming up short, the Bears outhit the Skyhawks 14-7. Munroe led going 3-for-4 with one RBI, while J. Johnston and Ingram went 2-for-4. Ingram recorded a double, while J. Johnston had two runs and a triple. Galassi and A. Johnston added two hits apiece, while Mascarello, A. Johnston, King, Munroe, Ingram, McDonel and Gaines all tallied an RBI apiece.

Cason Brown made the start for TMU throwing 2.1 innings of two hits, three runs, three walk and three strikeouts. Andrew Fry relieved for three innings recording five strikeouts. Jonathan Joiner threw 1.2 innings of two hits, two runs, two walks and two strikeouts. Jared Johnson also pitched for an inning.

GAME TWO 7-1
Point got up on the board first this time around in the first (0-1), but that would be the last time the rest of the way. Mascarello went on to lead off the top of the second with a single through the hole at shortstop and eventually scored on a Point defensive error (1-1). Munroe and Tanner Griffith also scored on J. Johnston's single up the middle (3-1) to cap off the inning.

After a scoreless third and fourth inning, J. Johnston added another run for TMU at the top of the fifth on A. Johnston's batted ball (4-1), but the Bears ultimately put the game out of reach for the Skyhawks in the sixth. Galassi's bunt base hit scored Munroe, and Kodi Bishop drove home Griffith and Galassi on a single to left (7-1) to conclude all of TMU's runs. Point battled in the bottom of the seventh loading the bases but Jared Johnson on the mound, backed up by stellar defense, ultimately clinched their first win over the Skyhawks (7-1).

LEADERS
Overall, TMU outhit the Skyhawks 10-5 and was individually led by Mascarello and Munroe who went 2-for-4. J. Johnston and Bishop led with two RBIs apiece, while Munroe and Griffith led with two runs.

Junior Brooks Rosser earned his third win of the season. Brooks threw six innings that featured five hits, one earned run, three walks and nine strikeouts. Jacob Adams and Johnson each relieved in the seventh both tallying a strikeout.

UP NEXT
The Bears are back on the road Tuesday, March 23, at Toccoa Falls College at 2:00 p.m., before another AAC weekend series at No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan University on Friday, March 26 – Saturday, March 27.