MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Apr. 17, 2021) – The No. 15 Truett McConnell University softball team suffered a mercy rule loss in game one (10-2) before winning game two decisively (5-3) at Milligan University, which concluded TMU's Appalachian Athletic Conference regular season schedule. The Lady Bears are now at 28-12, 21-5 AAC on the season, while Milligan sits at 27-5, 20-4 AAC.
 
Because TMU is guaranteed to finish no lower than runner-up in the AAC regular season standings, the No. 15 Lady Bears have officially earned their third consecutive berth to the NAIA National Championships. This season is the first year that the AAC is guaranteed three bids to nationals.
 
The AAC regular season title will be determined based upon Monday's doubleheader between Milligan and Brenau University. A split Monday would make TMU and Milligan co-champions. TMU will win the title outright if Milligan suffers the sweep and if the Buffs sweep, Milligan wins the title outright.
 
GAME ONE 2-10 | 5 INNINGS
Briley Lawson singled to right in the first but was left on base before Milligan got up on the board first in the bottom half on a wild pitch and passed ball (0-2). After leaving another Lady Bear on base in the second, the Buffs scored three more off of two hits and two defensive errors (0-5). TMU's defensive errors ultimately proved to be the difference as the Buffs added two more in the third (0-7) and three more in the fifth (2-10). Katherine Kozlowski sparked the top of the fifth with a single to left, while Sabrina Pestana Aguiar doubled to left-center to drive home Kozlowski and Mikayla Sullens (2-10) , but it proved not enough as the mercy rule was forced into play after Milligan's three-run fifth inning. 
 
LEADERS
Overall, TMU recorded a total of five hits to Milligan's seven. Pestana Aguiar led the way with two RBIs (1-for-1), while Lawson went 2-for-3, and Lauren Barrett and Kozlowski went 1-for-2.
 
Pitcher Bethany Hyde made the start allowing zero hits and two earned runs in the first, while Ellie McCloy relieved 3.2 innings of seven hits and one earned run.
 
GAME TWO 5-3
Karley Hobbs and the Lady Bears were able to get themselves out of a based loaded jam with one run allowed (0-1) in the bottom of the first. The top of the third saw Anna Thomas fuel a two-run inning for the Lady Bears with an infield single. Thomas scored the tying run (1-1) on Barrett's single to short and Sara Sullivan scored right behind her after a wild throw from Milligan's shortstop (2-1). Milligan answered with two more runs of their own in the bottom of the third (2-3) to get back out front but that would be the last time the rest of the way.
 
The fourth inning saw the Lady Bears rise to the occasion to ultimately avoid the AAC sweep. Sullivan doubled down the right field line to score Ashleigh Lawson (3-3), who also hit a double, and Pestana Aguiar (4-3). B. Lawson immediately followed up with a single up the middle to score Sullivan (5-3) to round out the Lady Bears' scoring on the day. Hobbs, backed up by stellar defense, shut out the Buffs through the final 3.5 innings to clinch the AAC split.
 
LEADERS
TMU tallied nine hits to Milligan's six and was individually led by Sullivan with two RBIs and two runs (1-for-2). Barrett went 3-for-4 with one RBI, while B. Lawson added one RBI. Thomas, Mattie Brooks and Ellie Abner added one hit apiece.
 
Hobbs earned her 17th win of the season and pitched a complete game of six hits, three runs, two walks and two strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Bears will look to potentially play sometime during next week.