BLUEFIELD, Va. (Apr. 16, 2021) – The Truett McConnell University baseball team swept Friday's doubleheader at Bluefield College (11-8, 6-4) to secure the Appalachian Athletic Conference series victory. The Bears recorded their sixth and seventh straight wins to improve to 23-15, 12-10 AAC on the year, while the Rams fell to 17-20, 8-14 AAC. TMU is currently tied for fifth of 12 teams, alongside Point University, in the AAC standings. 
 
GAME ONE 11-8
Will Ingram got the Bears off to a hot start with a leadoff single at the top of the first. Andrew Johnston got TMU up on the board first with a two RBI double to deep right-center (2-0). The Rams immediately responded with five runs in the bottom half (2-5), but TMU tied it right back up in the second. Devyn Munroe scored on a wild pitch (3-5), Josh Johnston drove home Ingram on a double to right (4-5) and J. Johnston scored the tying run on Mikal Mascarello's single to center (5-5).
 
The Bears went on to combine for a total of six runs in the fourth and fifth innings on a Mason Gaines sacrifice fly, two Bluefield defensive errors, a Cason King single, a Josh Johnston single and an A. Johnston single, while the Rams scored two in the fifth and one in the seventh (11-8). Most notable, the Bears got out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh in route to clinch the game one win.
 
LEADERS
Overall, TMU recorded a total of 14 hits to Bluefield's 10. A. Johnston individually led the Bears with three RBIs (3-for-4). J. Johnston led with three runs (3-for-5) and added two RBIs. A. and J. Johnston also both recorded a double. Munroe went 3-for-5.
 
Pitcher Gabe Dyar earned the win after throwing 5.2 innings of five hits, three runs, one walk and three strikeouts. Jonathan Joiner relieved for 2.1 innings to record three strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO 6-4
The Bears carried over the momentum into the first two innings of the second game. After J. Johnston tripled to the right-center fence in the first, Johnston put the Bears up on the board (1-0) on A. Johnston's ground out. Bluefield matched it in the bottom half (1-1) but the second inning proved to make all the difference. Munroe fueled the four-run inning with a single to short and scored the go-ahead run on Ingram's walk (2-1). J. Johnston singled to score Julian Galassi (3-1), Tanner Griffith scored on a fielder's choice (4-1), Ethan Roberts scored on a wild throw (5-1) and Mascarello doubled to right to score TMU's final run of the day (6-1). The Rams recorded one run in the third, fifth and sixth innings (6-4) but never fully caught up as TMU clinched the doubleheader sweep and AAC series win.
 
LEADERS
The Bears outshined the Rams once again with nine hits in comparison to Bluefield's eight. J. Johnston went 3-for-4, including a double, RBI and run. A. Johnston led with two RBIs, while Munroe went 2-for-3 and Mascarello went 2-for-4.
 
Brooks Rosser earned the win after pitching a complete game of eight hits, three earned runs, three walks and seven strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will look to face the Rams once more at 12:00 p.m., on Saturday, Apr. 17, before returning home for the remainder of their regular season.