EMERSON, Ga. (March 10, 2022) –On Friday, the Truett McConnell University baseball team returned to Lakepoint Sports facility to finish the Appalachian Athletic Conference series against Point University. The Bears secured game two, 16-4, but were unable to pull through in game three (6-9).The Bears are now sitting 12-10, 6-6 AAC, while the Skyhawks are 11-11, 6-3 AAC.

GAME 1 | 16-4

The Bears were what from the start with a Mikal Mascarello walk, followed by a Will Ingram single to left center. With runners in scoring position, a Matthew Redmond single scored two, followed by a Brady Wilson single to score two (4-0). The Skyhawks responded quickly with two runs of their own (4-2), but that did not stop the Bears. In the second inning, a Jake Edwards walk sparked the offense. A Tanner Griffith double scored Edwards (5-2) and was followed by an Andrew Johnston double to score Griffith (6-2). A fielder's choice hit from Ingram scored Johnston to increase the score to 7-2 and ultimately puting the game out of reach. In the third, hits from Wilson, Mascarello and Ingram gave TMU another four runs (11-2). The Skyhawks managed to put two more runs up in the fourth, but the Bears swept game one with a hot streak in the seventh inning, 16-4. 

LEADERS

Ingram led the way at the plate, going 2-4 while tallying two RBI's and one run. Wilson followed, going 2-3 at the plate, with two RBI's and one run. Johnston went 1-2 with one RBI and two runs, while Griffith was 1-5 with one RBI and two runs. 

Pitcher Craig Barton secured his third win of the season after recording six strikeouts and only allowing three hits over five innings. Tyler Gray tallied two strikeouts on the day.

GAME 2 | 6-9 

In game two, the Bears started out slow while the Skyhawks took advantage and attacked early with six runs in the second inning (0-6). TMU retaliated in the third, starting with an Edwards walk. A Griffith double put Edwards in scoring position, where a Johnston homerun made the score 3-6. In an attempt to reduce the Skyhwaks lead, an Ethan Roberts leadoff triple in the fourth decreaced the gap along with a hit from Redmond (4-6). A homerun from the Skyhawks in the fourth increased the score to 4-8. The Bears took one more chance to take the lead with a Wilson two-run shot to increase the score to 6-8. A late run from the Skyhawks in the sixth saw the end of the game, leaving TMU to fall 6-9.

LEADERS

Griffith led offensively, going 2-4 at the plate with one run. Johnston was 2-4 at the plate with three RBI's and one run. Wilson was perfect at the plate with two RBI's and one run. Mascarello went 2-4 at the plate, while Isaac Mullanack was 2-3.

Pitcher Jonathan Joiner recorded four strikeouts while Jared Johnson, Gray and Davis Richardson all recorded one strikeout apiece.

UP NEXT

The Bears return home to the TMU Baseball Complex to face AAC foe, Columbia International University, on Wednesday, March 16. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.