GRAYSON, Ky. (April 13, 2024) - The Truett McConnell University softball team hit the road for an Appalachian Athletic Conference match-up on Saturday at Kentucky Christian University, where two hard fought battles resulted in TMU coming out on top with final scores of 4-3 and 9-7.
GAME ONE | 4-3 Win
The second inning saw the Lady Bears strike first with a Rachel Morgan RBI walk to score Kyndall Gipson, followed by smart base running from Grace Folds who scored on a passed ball by KCU (2-1). The home team hit the board in the third inning, continuing to steal the lead in fourth inning with a score of 2-3. Emma Vessell showed out as relief in the mound, keeping KCU at bay for the remainder of the game, while a Cassie Boatright two run homerun ultimately sealed the deal for TMU with a final score of 4-3.
LEADERS
Jenna O'Brien led the way perfect at the plate with three hits and one walk, followed by Gipson who recorded a single hit and three walks. Folds went 2 for 4 with one run, while Boatright went 1 for 4 with two RBIs. Vessell earned the win after pitching through three innings, allowing a single hit, zero runs, zero walks and one strikeout.
GAME TWO | 9-7 Win
O'Brien led the way in the first inning after putting a ball in play to score Rebecca Graham. The Knights got even in the bottom of the inning ONG with a run of their own, while an Isabelle Sullivan sacrifice fly to center in the second inning scored Morgan to steal back the lead (2-1). KCU gained momentum in the bottom of the second to score four runs, forcing the Lady Bears to work hard under pressure (2-5).
TMU worked to cut at the advantage with a Boatright sac fly to score Hailey Cronic in the third, and a Cronic RBI single and Gipson two RBI single in the fifth to steal back the lead (6-5). KCU once again responded in the bottom of the inning to get back on top, while Vessell showed her grit in relief to shut down the home team. The final inning proved in favor of the Lady Bears as a Gipson RBI single tied the game and two individual RBIs from Folds and Morgan sealed the deal with a score of 9-7.
LEADERS
Gipson led the way going 1 for 4 at the plate with three RBIs and one run, while Boatright went 2 for 3 with two runs and one RBI. Cronic recorded two hits with two runs and one RBI, followed by Graham who had two hits and Vessell who earned the win after allowing zero runs, hits and walks with two strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Lady Bears head to University of Pikeville on Sunday, April 14, where TMU is set to compete in an AAC doubleheader with game times at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
