(CLEVELAND) – On Wednesday, the No. 23 Truett McConnell University softball team hosted Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Point University, where TMU banded together to steal game one after a walk-off two run homer from Grace Folds clinched game one in the bottom of the eighth inning (5-3) and clinched game two with a final score of 6-4. The Lady Bears are now sitting at a record of 21-9, 14-4 AAC, while the Skyhawks fell to a record of 18-16, 10-8 AAC.
GAME 1 | 8 Innings
Both teams started the game even in play, while the pitchers controlled the offense on either side. The fourth inning saw the Lady Bears strike first with a Jenna O’Brien RBI single to score Kyndall Gipson from second (1-0). The top of the sixth saw Point respond with a three run homer to steal the lead by two, while the Lady Bears evened the score in the bottom of the seventh with a second clutch RBI single from O’Brien to send the game into extra innings (3-3). Pitcher Kyleigh Sanders stayed sharp on the mound to shut down the Skyhawks in the top of the eighth. The bottom saw Mattie Brooks reach first with a lead off single to center field, while Folds stepped up to the plate with two outs and carried TMU to victory after sending a two run homer over the left field fence for a final score of 5-3.
LEADERS
O’Brien led the way going 3-4 at the plate, along with recording two RBIs and a single run. Folds went 2-4 at the plate with two RBIs and one run, while Brooks went 2-4 at the plate with one run of her own. Hailey Cronic went 2-3 at the plate with one RBI, followed by Gipson who went 1-4 with one run. Sanders recorded the win after pitching through eight innings, along with tallying nine strikeouts.
GAME 2 | 6-4
The Lady Bears did not hesitate to secure the advantage, as the bottom of the first inning saw Cassie Boatright record a two RBI double to center to send Justine Gorton and Folds home (2-0). The bottom of the second proved in TMUs favor as Folds hot streak continued with a double to deep center to score Ellie Abner (3-0). Point responded with runs of their own in the third and fourth inning to steal the lead (3-4), but Isabelle Sullivan put the Lady Bears back on track in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single to right field to score Rachel Morgan (4-4). Pitcher Kyndall Gipson showed her grit as she held the Skyhawks at bay on the mound, while an RBI from Morgan and Cronic RBI single ultimately secured the win for TMU with a final score of 6-4.
LEADERS
Folds led the way going 2-3 at the plate with one RBI and one run, while Sullivan led the way going 2-3 at the plate with one RBI. Gorton went 1-3 with one run, followed by Boatright who went 1-2 with one run and two RBIs.
UP NEXT
The Lady Bears are back in action on Saturday, April 1, where they will hit the road to face Bluefield University in an AAC doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
