Union Advances to Championship Game, Awaits Opponent

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Three teams remain in the 2023 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Baseball Tournament following a wild day on Friday.

Bryan won two games on the day, eliminating Montreat from the tournament and forcing an 'if' game with Reinhardt. Meanwhile, Tennessee Wesleyan eliminated Truett McConnell but was sent home itself as Union downed the top-seeded team to advance to the championship game.

This marks the first time Tennessee Wesleyan will not be in the championship game since 2014.

Play resumes Saturday at 11 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 5, MONTREAT 4

Bryan appeared to be on its way to a 4-2 victory as it was up two going in the ninth. However, Isaac Castro blasted a two-run home run over the left-field wall to pull Montreat even.

Still, Bryan came through with the win in the bottom of the ninth. With a runner on second and two outs, Daniel Dryden lined a single through the left side of the infield to drive in the game-winning run.

Parker Cosby belted a two-run home run in the win, while Bryson Lofton launched a solo shot for his 20th home run of the season.

TENNESSEE WESLEYAN 9, TRUETT MCCONNELL 3

Already up 1-0, Tennessee Wesleyan used a five-run fourth inning to build a 6-0 lead on its way to the win. Truett McConnell twice got the deficit down to five, but Tennessee Wesleyan added a run in the eighth to make the final 9-3.

Marco Martinez went 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Dan Sayre and Cody McGill drove in two runs apiece.

BRYAN 2, REINHARDT 1

Bryan won a fierce pitchers' duel to force an 'if' game with Reinhardt.

The Lions took a 1-0 advantage in Dante Morton tripled in the third and scored thanks to a throwing error on the play. In the seventh, Bryan took a 2-0 lead when Morton singled in Danny Marquez.

Reinhardt cut the margin in half in the bottom of the seventh but could not find the equalizer.

Cameron Harvey picked up the win for Bryan, allowing one earned run on six hits and two walks. He struck out six in seven innings of work. Jakob Hamilton tossed two hitless innings to collect the save, striking out two.

UNION 5, TENNESSEE WESLEYAN 2

Stellar pitching from James Raffauf and a four-run rally in eighth proved to be the winning combination for Union as it defeated Tennessee Wesleyan, eliminating the top-seeded team.

Tennessee Wesleyan scored a run in the first on a Cayle Webster run-scoring single. Union tied the game in the fourth thanks to a Luke Powell RBI double.

Raffauf came in the bottom of the first and tossed 7 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and four walks with six strikeouts. Raffauf kept the Tennessee Wesleyan bats at bay, and in the eighth, Union exploded for four runs. Hazel Martinez and David Mitchell each drove in a run for a 3-1 lead. Martinez scored on a wild pitch, and Colton Stegman added a RBI single to make it a 5-1 game.

Dan Sayre lined a run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth, and Tennessee Wesleyan had the bases loaded with no one out. However, Powell came in to pitch and struck out two batters before getting the final batter to ground out to first to end the game.

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 (33-18) def. No. 6 Montreat (27-24), 5-4 (box) Montreat eliminated
Game 12 - No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan (42-8) def. No. 4 Truett McConnell (34-15), 9-3 (box) Truett McConnell eliminated
Game 13 - No. 2 Reinhardt (33-17) vs. No. 3 Bryan (34-18), 2-1 (box)
Game 14 - No. 5 Union (29-17-1) def. No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan (42-9), 5-2 (box) Tennessee Wesleyan eliminated

Saturday, May 6
Game 15 - No. 2 Reinhardt (33-17) vs. No. 3 Bryan (34-18), 11 am
Game 16 - No. 5 Union (29-17-1) vs. Game 15 Winner, 3 pm