CLEVELAND, GA. (March 24, 2023) – The Truett McConnell University baseball team returned home to host Carolina Univesity in a non-conference doubleheader on Friday. The Bears and Bruins split the two games as TMU won game one (6-1) convincingly, while CU took game two (5-8) to cap the evening. The Bears season record moves to 19-10 (8-6 AAC) on the year, while the Bruins record stands at 12-12.
 
GAME 1 | 6-1
The first three and a half innings went scoreless before the Bears struck first in the bottom of the fourth inning, starting with a pair of singles, followed by a walk. With bases loaded, a Caleb Ramsey hit by pitch allowed Tanner Griffith to score from third to make it 1-0. Jacob Karvelas got the Bears moving with a shot to left field to score Matthew Redmond and Mikal Mascarello. Solid pitching for the Bears would keep the Bruins off the board, while the sixth inning saw TMU add three more insurance runs to make it 6-0. CU was able to avoid the shutout with a lone run in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough as TMU cruised into the 6-1 victory.
 
LEADERS
Tanner Griffith led the offense for the Bears, going 2-3 at the plate with one run and one RBI, along with two stolen bases. Andrew Johnston added two RBIs after going 1-4, while Ethan Roberts and Mascarallo went 1-3, both scoring one run apiece. Pitcher Tyler Gray was seen on the mound through six innings, giving up a lone run on five hits, while striking out three batters.
 
GAME 2 | 5-8
The Bears fell behind early when the Bruins put up solo runs in the first two innings, and put up a third run in the fifth to make it 0-3. In the bottom of the fifth, TMU finally got on the board when a Johnston double to right field scored Russell Kiser. In the sixth, TMU attempted the comeback starting with a lead off walk by Ramsey,  a Karvelas double and some Bruin defensive errors to make the score 3-3. With runners on second and third, Griffith gave the Bears their first lead with a single to right, making the score 5-3. The Bruins did not back down as they were able to respond with five runs of their own in the top of the seventh to regain the lead, resulting in a 5-8 loss for TMU.
 
LEADERS
Caleb Ramsey had a strong offensive outing, going 3-3 with one walk and one run. Griffith recorded two RBIs after he went 2-4, while Roberts went 1-5 with one run, one RBI and two stolen bases. Pitcher Phillip Braswell had two strikeouts and only gave up one run off five hits, followed by Caleb Johnson who recorded one strikeout of his own.
 
UP NEXT
TMU will face off against CU on Saturday in the second double header of the weekend, inside the TMU Baseball Complex. Game times are set for 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.