KINGSPORT, Tenn. (April 30, 2021) – The No. 2-seeded Truett McConnell University softball team suffered elimination in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament after losing to No. 3-seeded Reinhardt University for the second time (10-7) despite an early lead. Last time they met during the regular season, TMU and Reinhardt split. The Eagles (40-12, 20-6 AAC) advanced to the championship round, while the Lady Bears fell to 31-14, 21-5 AAC.

TMU will now look to compete in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on Monday, May 17 – Wednesday, May 19. 

EARLY LEAD, LATE FALL
The Eagles scored two right away in the first (0-2) but Sara Sullivan's single up the middle sparked a three-run inning for the Lady Bears in response. All-AAC first team member Mattie Brooks hit a two-out triple to deep right-center to score Sullivan (1-2) and fellow first teamer, Lauren Barrett, followed up with an RBI double to tie it 2-2. Junior Mikayla Sullens hit a double of her own to left field to score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the first (3-2). The Eagles answered with two more runs of their own in the top of the second (3-4) but once again, TMU's offensive continued to stay explosive. After All-AAC second team member Alicia Price's leadoff bunt base hit, freshman Ashleigh Lawson moved Price to second on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt and All-AAC first teamer Briley Lawson drove Price home on a single down the right field line (4-4). Brooks' batted ball allowed Sullivan to score on a fielder's choice (5-4) and Barrett followed up with the team's second triple of the game to score Brooks (6-4).
 
Neither team scored in the third, fourth and fifth innings but the sixth inning ultimately saw Reinhardt steal the lead for good. The Eagles scored four runs in the sixth (6-8) before TMU scored their seventh and final run of the tournament on Sullivan's sacrifice bunt in the bottom half (7-8). Reinhardt added two more runs in the seventh (7-10) and TMU was ultimately unable to recover.
 
LEADERS
TMU outshined the Eagles offensively for the second time this tournament with 10 hits, while Reinhardt had nine. Brooks (1-for-4) and Barrett (2-for-4) led the way with two RBIs and one triple apiece. Barrett and Sullens each had a double. Sullivan went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, while Sullens and B. Lawson added one RBI apiece. Katherine Kozlowski and Price each went 1-for-2 with one run apiece.
 
Pitcher Bethany Hyde made the start and tossed 5.2 innings of six earned runs, seven walks and four strikeouts. Karley Hobbs, the three-time AAC pitcher of the year, relieved for 1.1 innings allowing one hit, one earned run and one walk.