Pitching, Defense Continues to Dominate Softball Tournament

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Pitching continues to dominate the play at the 2022 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Softball Tournament as no team scored more than three runs on day three of the tournament.

The tournament is being held at the Brickyard Ball Fields in Kingsport, Tenn. The field is down to six as Columbia and Milligan were eliminated.

In the opener, Columbia took a 1-0 lead on a Kristin Wemes RBI single in the bottom of the third. However, Brenau countered with three runs in the fourth to take the advantage. Shea Reagor lined a run-scoring triple and then came home on a Carley Cox double during the rally. Columbia scratched out a run in the sixth but could not find the equalizer as Brenau won 3-2.

A sixth-inning rally kept Point's season alive as it escaped with a 2-1 win over Milligan. The Buffaloes grabbed the lead in the top of the first when Grace Jones scored on a Hanna Taylor groundout. It appeared to the game was destined to be a 1-0 decision for Milligan, but Point rallied in the bottom of the sixth. Chelsea Parker lined a RBI single to even the ledger, and Allie Davis came through with a pinch-hit single to knock in the winning run.

Annalise Wood struck out 13 batters as Bryan held off Truett McConnell in a 2-1 affair. Bryan scored the first run of the game in the second off a double steal and later made it 2-0 when Josie Hutchins scored thanks to a throwing error. Things got interesting in the sixth when Truett McConnell scored thanks to an error to make it 2-1. But, Wood took care of business in the circle and locked up the win.

In the final round of the game, Cheyenne Strong kept the Reinhardt offense at bay as the Tennessee Wesleyan offense pushed across two early runs en route to the 2-0 victory. In the second, Malyssa Jeter singled in a run to break the deadlock and Allee West later scored on a fielder's choice to give the Bulldogs a two-run advantage. Strong struck out only four, but she allowed just five hits and one walk in picking up the win.

The tournament resumes Thursday with two elimination games at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. followed the winners' bracket final at 3 p.m. At 5 p.m., the winners of the 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. contests will square off in another elimination game.

Tickets are available and can be purchased by clicking here.

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

Here's the complete tournament schedule:

Tournament Schedule
Monday, April 25 - Single-Elimination Games
Game 1 - No. 8 Columbia (21-17) def. No. 9 Union (16-25), 7-6 (BOX) - Union eliminated
Game 2 - No. 7 Point (31-18) def. No. 10 Kentucky Christian (18-21), 1-0 (BOX) - Kentucky Christian eliminated

Tuesday, April 26 - Double-Elimination Through the Rest of the Tournament
Game 3 - No. 4 Truett McConnell (29-22) def. No. 5 Brenau (27-15), 2-0 (BOX)
Game 4 - No. 1 Bryan (29-14) def. No. 8 Columbia (21-18), 4-2 (BOX)
Game 5 - No. 2 Reinhardt (33-13) def. No. 7 Point (31-19), 2-1 (BOX)
Game 6 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (31-7) vs. No. 6 Milligan (23-14), 4-1 (BOX)

Wednesday, April 27
Game 7 - No. 5 Brenau (28-15) def. No. 8 Columbia (21-19), 3-2 (BOX) - Columbia eliminated
Game 8 - No. 7 Point (32-19) def. No. 6 Milligan (23-15), 2-1 (BOX) - Milligan eliminated
Game 9 - No. 1 Bryan (30-14) def. No. 4 Truett McConnell (29-23), 2-1 (BOX)
Game 10 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (32-7) def. No. 2 Reinhardt (33-14), 2-0 (BOX)

Thursday, April 28
Game 11 - No. 7 Point (32-19) vs. No. 4 Truett McConnell (29-23), 11 am
Game 12 - No. 5 Brenau (28-15) vs. No. 2 Reinhardt (33-14), 1 pm
Game 13 - No. 1 Bryan (30-14) vs. No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (32-7) , 3 pm
Game 14 - Game 11 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner, 5 pm

Friday, April 29
Game 15 - Game 13 Loser vs. Game 14 Winner, 11 am
Game 16 - Championship Game 1 - Game 13 Winner vs. Game 15 Winner, 1 pm
Game 17 - Championship Game 2 - Game 16 Winner vs. Game 16 Loser, 3 pm (if necessary)