BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (Apr. 7, 2021) – After losing game one by a walk-off (10-9), the Truett McConnell University baseball team turned around to win game two 6-1 at Union College on Wednesday afternoon. TMU now sits at 17-15, 7-10 AAC on the season, while the Bulldogs are now 13-17, 8-9 AAC.
 
GAME ONE 9-10 | WALK-OFF
Josh Johnston put TMU up on the board first right away in the first with a double to deep left-center, which scored Devyn Munroe after reaching on a walk (1-0). Johnston ran home on Mason Gaines' single to right-center to give the Bears an early two-run lead (2-0). The bottom of the third saw Union score four runs to get out front (2-4). The Bears added one run of their own at the top of the fourth on a Will Ingram single through the hole at shortstop (3-4), and the Bulldogs added another of their own in the bottom of the half (3-5).
 
After a scoreless fifth and sixth innings, the game remained tightly contested. Gaines sparked the seventh with a centerfield single and Tanner Griffith followed up with a two-run homer over the left field fence on the second pitch to make it even (5-5). Julian Galassi put the Bears ahead with a double down the left field line (6-5) and Mikal Mascarello's single to right scored two more for TMU (8-5). Union managed to tie it up again in the bottom half (8-8) and the Bulldogs went on to take the lead in the eighth (8-9) before TMU tied it up again for the last time in the ninth off of Kodi Bishop's sacrifice fly to center (9-9). The bottom of the ninth ultimately saw Union walk it off on a defensive error by the Bears (9-10) to take their first and only win of the day by one.
 
LEADERS
TMU recorded a total of 12 hits, while Union had 14. J. Johnston, Griffith and Gaines individually led the Bears going 2-for-3. Griffith led with two RBIs alongside Mascarello. Galassi went 2-for-5, while Munroe, Mascarello, Cason King and Ingram (1-for-2) added one hit apiece.
 
Pitcher Craig Barton made the start for TMU throwing three innings of six hits, five runs, four walks and four strikeouts. Jonathan Joiner relieved 3.2 innings of six hits, three runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Jared Johnson threw 0.2 innings of one hit, one runs, one walk and two strikeouts. Andrew Fry relieved the final inning allowing one hit, while recording one walk and one strikeout.
 
GAME TWO 6-1
The Bears came out hot from the start recording four runs in the first after a leadoff walk from Munroe. J. Johnston drove home Munroe on a single through the hole at second (1-0), J. Johnston and Andrew Johnston scored on Union defensive errors (3-0) and Mascarello scored on Galassi's walk (4-0). Union scored their lone run of the day in the bottom of the second after a leadoff double (4-1). The Bears added a run in the third and fifth innings on an Ingram single to shallow left (5-1) and a Galassi infield single (6-1), while still holding the Bulldogs scoreless the rest of the way to ultimately secure the game two win by five.
 
LEADERS
Overall, both teams accounted for five hits. The Bears were led by Galassi (1-for-1) with two RBIs. Munroe, J. Johnston, Griffith and Ingram all had one hit apiece.
 
Pitcher Brooks Rosser earned the win after throwing a complete game of five hits, one earned run, one walk and eight strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will look to face Kentucky Christian University on the road on Friday, Apr. 9, at 1:00 p.m. (DH), and Saturday, Apr. 10 at 11:00 a.m.