Tennesseee Wesleyan Repeats as Softball Tournament Champion

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – It was a full day of softball, but at the end of it all, fourth-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan came out on top as the 2023 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Softball Tournament champion.

In a day where five games were played with the last one ending after midnight, Tennessee Wesleyan went undefeated in the tournament to repeat as the champion.

Leading up to the championship round, the day began with Truett McConnell knocking Milligan out of the tournament with a 5-2 decision. Tennessee Wesleyan then defeated Brenau 3-2 in the winners' bracket finale. Reinhardt went on to defeat Truett McConnell 10-4 and Brenau 9-0 to advance to the title game.

In the championship game, Reinhardt got the early advantage thanks to a pair of errors as the top-seeded squad took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Tennessee Wesleyan evened the ledger in the second thanks to a Malyssa Jeter two-run home run. The Bulldogs put together a three-run rally in the fourth for a 5-2 advantage.

However, Emily Loveless drew Reinhardt within 5-4 with a two-run bomb to left field in the top of the fifth.

But Cheyenne Strong locked things down from there, getting eight of the next nine batters out to secure the 5-4 win and the Bulldog championship.

Strong, who went 4-0 in the tournament and allowed only three earned runs, was named the Tournament MVP. Joinin her on the All-Tournament Team are Emily Mikkola, Loryn Sherwood, and Malyssa Jeter of Tennessee Wesleyan; Loveless, Taylor Wade, and Molly Stevens of Reinhardt; Morgan Tyler and Hannah Patridge of Brenau; Justin Gorton and Rachel Morgan of Truett McConnell; Kate Pendleton of Milligan; and Maddie Webber of Johnson.

Tennessee Wesleyan receives an automatic berth to the NAIA National Championship Tournament as does Reinhardt, who earned theirs by winning the regular-season championship. The NAIA Opening Round is set for May 15-17.

Tournament Schedule
Wednesday, April 26
Game 1 - No. 4 Tennessee Wesleyan (24-15) def. No. 5 Point (27-22), 8-0 (box)
Game 2 - No. 1 Reinhardt (32-9) def. No. 8 Milligan (20-13), 2-0 (box)
Game 3 - No. 2 Truett McConnell (34-11) def. No. 7 Kentucky Christian (26-23), 5-1 (box)
Game 4 - No. 3 Brenau (25-10) def. No. 6 Johnson (22-13), 5-4 (box)

Thursday, April 27
Game 5 - No. 8 Milligan (21-13) def. No. 5 Point (27-23), 14-4 (box) Point eliminated
Game 6 - No. 7 Kentucky Christian (27-23) vs. No. 6 Johnson (22-14), 10-5 (box) Johnson eliminated

Friday, April 28
Game 7 - No. 4 Tennessee Wesleyan (25-15) vs. No. 1 Reinhardt (32-10), 4-1 (box)
Game 8 - No. 3 Brenau (26-10) def. No. 2 Truett McConnell (34-12), 6-2 (box)
Game 9 - No. 1 Reinhardt (33-10) def. No. 7 Kentucky Christian (27-24), 12-5 (box) Kentucky Christian eliminated

Saturday, April 29
Game 10 - No. 2 Truett McConnell (35-12) def. No. 8 Milligan (21-14), 5-2 (box) Milligan eliminated
Game 11 - No. 4 Tennessee Wesleyan (26-15) vs. No. 3 Brenau (26-11), 3-2 (box)
Game 12 - No. 1 Reinhardt (34-10) vs. No. 2 Truett McConnell (35-13), 10-4 (box) Truett McConnell eliminated
Game 13 - No. 1 Reinhardt (35-10) def. No. 3 Brenau (26-11) vs. No. 1 Reinhardt (34-10), 9-0 (box) Brenau eliminated
Game 14 - Championship Game 1 - No. 4 Tennessee Wesleyan (26-15) def. No. 1 Reinhardt (35-10), 5-4 (box) Tennessee Wesleyan wins the championship