Reinhardt Walks It Off to Meet TWU in Baseball Championship Game

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – They both took the long road, but in the end, the top two seeds will meet in Sunday afternoon's championship game of the 2024 AAC baseball tournament.

After dropping Friday-night games to their respective opponents, Tennessee Wesleyan University and Reinhardt University picked up wins on Saturday to win the league's automatic bids into the NAIA national tournament and spots in Sunday's finals.

The championship game will begin at 2 p.m. at Hunter Wright Stadium.

Tennessee Wesleyan 7, Montreat 2: Kruise Newman had two hits including a home run, drove in two and scored twice as the Bulldogs secured an automatic bid into the national tournament. Marco Martinez had three hits and drove in two, while starting pitcher Gage Vailes threw eight innings, striking out seven and scattering six hits. Daniel Willie pitched the first 5-2/3 innings for Montreat on two days' rest and was followed by six relievers for the Cavaliers.

Reinhardt 9, Milligan 8, 10 innings: Facing a 3-2 count with two outs in the bottom of the 10^th with his team trailing 8-6, right fielder Tucker Zdunich blasted a game-winning home run over the right field wall to secure the Eagles an automatic bid in the national tournament and a spot in Sunday's championship game. It was Zdunich's 15^th home run of the season and the second time this week the Eagles have won on a walk-off homer.

Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, April 30
Game 1 - No. 10 Union (19-27) def. No. 7 Johnson (24-21), 8-6 (box) - Johnson eliminated
Game 2 - No. 9 Bluefield (21-22) def. No. 8 St. Andrews (27-21), 7-3 (box) - St. Andrews eliminated

Wednesday, May 1
Game 3 - No. 4 Milligan (31-18) def. No. 5 Bryan (25-21), 10-3 (box)
Game 4 - No. 6 Montreat (27-23-1) vs. No. 3 Pikeville (30-18), 9-7 (box)
Game 5 - No. 2 Tennessee Wesleyan (34-15) def. No. 10 Union (19-28), 3-1 (box)
Game 6 - No. 1 Reinhardt (36-14) def. No. 9 Bluefield (21-23), 8-6 (12 innings) (box)

Thursday, May 2
Game 7 - No. 10 Union (20-28) def. No. 3 Pikeville (30-19), 15-3 (7 innings) (box) - Pikeville eliminated
Game 8 - No. 5 Bryan (26-21) def. No. 9 Bluefield (21-24), 10-6 (box) - Bluefield eliminated
Game 9 - No. 2 Tennessee Wesleyan (35-15) def. No. 6 Montreat (27-24-1), 13-0 (7 innings) (box)
Game 10 - No. 1 Reinhardt (37-14) def. No. 4 Milligan (31-19), 5-2 (box)

Friday, May 3
Game 11 - No. 6 Montreat (28-24-1) def. No. 10 Union (20-29), 9-8 (box) - Union eliminated
Game 12 - No. 4 Milligan (32-19) def. No. 5 Bryan (26-22), 6-3 (box) - Bryan eliminated
Game 13 - No. 6 Montreat (29-24-1) def. No. 2 Tennessee Wesleyan (35-16), 6-5 (box)
Game 14 - No. 4 Milligan (33-19) def. No. 1 Reinhardt (37-15), 7-3 (box)

Saturday, May 4
Game 15 - No. 2 Tennessee Wesleyan (36-16) vs. No. 6 Montreat (29-25-1), 7-2 (box) - Montreat eliminated
Game 16 - No. 1 Reinhardt (38-15) vs. No. 4 Milligan (33-20), 9-8 (box) - Milligan eliminated

Sunday, May 5
Game 17 - Championship Game - No. 2 Tennessee Wesleyan (36-16) vs. No. 1 Reinhardt (38-15), 2 pm