CLEVELAND — The Truett McConnell baseball team clinched a spot in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament with a game two win over Montreat, 8-2, on Senior Day. The Bears fell in game one, 3-2.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first four innings of the day before Montreat found single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Tate Gaines tied it up in the bottom of the sixth with a double to the left center field fence, scoring Chris Carden and Calob Rowland, but the Cavs took the lead for good in the top of the seventh to earn the win.
Game two started much better for the Bears as they put up three runs in the bottom of the first frame. After back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, Patrick Overstreet doubled down the left field line to put TMU up, 2-0. Davis Dasher brought home the final run on a single with the bases loaded.
The two sides remained scoreless until the sixth inning when Montreat put up two runs in the top half of the inning. The Bears answered with a big inning in the bottom of the frame to get insurance runs. Carden started it off with a bomb to left field to take a 4-2 lead before the floodgates opened, capped off with a bases-clearing double by Josh Johnston scoring the final three runs of the game.
Carden got the win in game two with a complete game effort.
Prior to the start of the doubleheader, seniors Carden, Gaines, Long and Casey Guilliams were honored for their careers at TMU.
The Bears will finish out the home schedule with a 3 p.m. first pitch against No. 16 Middle Georgia on Tuesday.
