Field Down to 6 in Baseball Tournament

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – The field is down to six after two teams were eliminated in the 2023 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Baseball Tournament on Thursday.

Bryan and Truett McConnell each won their elimination games. In the winners' brackets, No. 2 seed Reinhardt handed sixth-seeded Montreat a 20-4 defeat and No. 4 seed Union downed top-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan 12-2.

Play resumes Wednesday at 9 a.m.

Tickets are available and can be purchased by clicking here. Single day tickets are $10 per adult and $5 for students. Tournament passes are also available for $30 per adult.

If unable to attend in person, all games will be streamed live online. To watch, click here.

BRYAN 8, COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL 1

Ethan Walls took care of business on the mound for Bryan while the Lion offense did the rest in the 8-1, elimination-game win.

Walls went the distance, allowing one run on four hits and five walks in picking up the win. CIU didn't crack the scoring column until the ninth, and Walls fanned five batters.

At the plate, Bryan scored a run in each the first and second before putting up a four-spot in the third for a comfortable 6-0 lead. The Lions added a run in each the sixth and seventh to seal the deal.

Daniel Dryden and Parker Cosby each launched a solo home run as Dryden finished with two RBI. Daniel Marquez also had two RBI as Bryan collected 15 hits in the win.

TRUETT MCCONNELL 6, MILLIGAN 3

Truett McConnell jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as it moved past Milligan in an elimination game. The Bears put together a five-run rally in the second. Andrew Johnston delivered the game hit, a two-run double to make it 5-0. Each team added a run in each of the next two half innings before Milligan scored twice in the fourth to make it 6-3.

From there, Bear starter Tyler Gray shut things down. The right-hander went the distance, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk in picking up the win. He struck out two batters.

REINHARDT 20, MONTREAT 4 (7 INNINGS)

Reinhardt scored early and often as it posted a 16-run victory. The Eagles scored three in the first and the third for a 6-0 lead. Reinhardt added four in the fourth before Montreat scored two in the top of the fifth to make it 10-2. Reinhardt exploded for eight in the bottom of the fifth, which was punctuated by a William Underwood grand slam.

Each team scored twice in the sixth to make the final 20-4.

Underwood led Reinhardt with five RBI, while Tucker Zdunich and Dylan Lewis each drove in three.

UNION 12, TENNESSEE WESLEYAN 2

Union jumped out to an early lead and continued to roll on its way to a 10-run victory.

Union scored a run in third before tacking on four in the fourth for a 5-0 advantage. Tennessee Wesleyan scored a run in the fifth, but Union added a run in the sixth before putting up six in the seventh. Tennessee Wesleyan scratched out a run in the bottom of the seventh, but Union came away with the 12-2 win.

Hazel Martinez drove in four RBI for Union with Angel Mendoza, Nick Seelman, and Luke Pell each having two.

Ethan Warren picked up the win, going 6 2/3 innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out six batters.

Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, May 2
Game 1 - No. 10 Columbia International (19-27) def. No. 7 Point (22-22-1), 3-2 (box) Point eliminated
Game 2 - No. 9 Milligan (28-20) def. No. 8 St. Andrews (20-23), 15-1 (box) St. Andrews eliminated

Wednesday, May 3
Game 3 - No. 5 Union (27-17-1) def. No. 4 Truett McConnell (33-15), 10-4 (box)
Game 4 - No. 6 Montreat (27-22) def. No. 3 Bryan (31-18), 6-0 (box)
Game 5 - No. 2 Reinhardt (32-16) def. No. 10 Columbia International (19-28), 6-4 (box)
Game 6 - No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan (41-7) def. No. 9 Milligan (28-21), 14-4 (box)

Thursday, May 4
Game 7 - No. 3 Bryan (32-18) def. No. 10 Columbia International (19-29), 8-1 (box) Columbia International eliminated
Game 8 - No. 4 Truett McConnell (34-15) def. No. 9 Milligan (28-22), 6-3 (box) Milligan eliminated
Game 9 - No. 2 Reinhardt (33-16) def. No. 6 Montreat (27-23), 20-4 (box)
Game 10 - No. 5 Union (28-17-1) def. No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan (41-8), 12-2 (box)

Friday, May 5
Game 11 - No. 3 Bryan (32-18) vs. No. 6 Montreat (27-23), 9 am
Game 12 - No. 4 Truett McConnell (34-15) vs. No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan (41-8), 12 pm
Game 13 - No. 2 Reinhardt (33-16) vs. Game 11 Winner, 4 pm
Game 14 - No. 5 Union (28-17-1) vs. Game 12 Winner, 7 pm

Saturday, May 6
Schedule will be finalized following the results of Game 13 and 14. If only one game, it will be played at 2 pm. If there one 'if necessary' game is needed, it will be played at 11 am with the championship game at 3 pm. If both 'if necessary games are needed, the games will be played at 11 am, 2 pm, and 6 pm.