CLEVELAND, Ga. (Apr. 27, 2021) – For the third time this season, the Truett McConnell University baseball team came up short against No. 8 Georgia Gwinnett College on Tuesday evening inside the TMU Baseball Complex. The Bears fell 17-6 in eight innings to fall to 25-19, 13-13 AAC on the year, while the Grizzlies improved to 33-9.
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY
GGC got up on the board in the first and second (0-2) before the Bears scored their first run of the night after Andrew Johnston's leadoff hit by pitch in the bottom of the second. Johnston eventually scored on Jacob Ross' single through the hole at second base to get back within one (1-2). After holding the Grizzlies scoreless in the top of the third, TMU loaded up the bases but all Bears were left on base (1-2) before GGC put up three more runs in the fourth (1-5). TMU answered with one run in the fourth on a Josh Johnston sacrifice fly (2-5), and two in the fifth on a Cason King single (3-5) and Grant McDonel ground out (4-5) but the Grizzlies pulled ahead again by three in the sixth (4-7) and it was only up from there. GGC scored a total of 10 more runs in the seventh and eighth innings (4-17). The Bears scored twice more in the bottom of the eighth (6-17), but the Grizzlies ultimately clinched the run-rule victory.
 
LEADERS
Overall, the Bears recorded a total of six hits to GGC's 17. TMU was individually led by King, who went 3-for-4, and Mikal Mascarello, who went 2-for-3. Both tallied one RBI. Mason Gaines went 2-for-4, while J. Johnston hit a double and A. Johnston, Ross and Ethan Roberts added one hit apiece.
 
Miller McCathren, John James, Joshua Merritt, C.J. Thomas, Gabe Dyar and Jacob Adams all pitched for the Bears combining for a total of six strikeouts. 
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will host Reinhardt University for an Appalachian Athletic Conference three-game series on Thursday, Apr. 29, at 3:00 p.m., (DH) and Friday, Apr. 30, at 5:00 p.m., which will conclude their regular season.