Bryan, Tennessee Wesleyan Remain Last Undefeated Teams in Baseball Tourney

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - The top half of the bracket controlled Thursday at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament, with No. 1 seed Milligan, No. 6 seed Bryan, No. 2 seed Johnson, and No. 3 seed Tennessee Wesleyan all earning wins on day three at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, Tenn. The results eliminated Reinhardt and Pikeville, trimming the field to six teams heading into Friday.

Milligan opened the day with a 3-2 win over No. 7 Reinhardt in the first elimination game. Reinhardt struck first with a two-run single from Louis Dion in the first inning, but Milligan answered in the third when Braxton Baird tripled and scored on Gaven Jones' RBI double. The deciding swing came in the seventh, when Wyatt Heidle drove a two-run homer to left-center to put the Buffaloes in front. Jack McLaury carried Milligan through 8.1 innings, allowing five hits and two runs with four strikeouts, and Colby Reynolds recorded the final outs as the top seed avoided an early exit.

Bryan followed with a 10-3 win over No. 4 seed Spartanburg Methodist, turning a close game into a one-sided result in the middle innings. Spartanburg Methodist led early after scoring once in the second and adding two more in the third, but Bryan answered with two runs in the third and pulled even stronger behind a solo home run from Jack Reynolds in the fourth. The Lions then broke the game open with four runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh. Brodie Genter finished with two hits, four RBIs, and two runs, Denajh Williams added two hits and two RBIs, and Tyler Gray went the distance, allowing three runs over nine innings.

In the third game, No. 2 seed Johnson eliminated No. 5 seed Pikeville with a 10-1 victory. Pikeville scored in the top of the first, but Johnson quickly settled in. Kolton Reynolds tied the game with a solo homer in the second, then helped drive the offense as Johnson surged ahead with a multi-run fifth and a six-run seventh. David Ballenilla delivered a two-run double during the fifth-inning rally, and Mitchell Birdsall helped ignite the seventh with a three-run triple. Colby Reynolds was efficient throughout, throwing a complete game while allowing one run and striking out five.

Tennessee Wesleyan closed the day with a 7-1 win over No. 8 seed Montreat in the final game. The Bulldogs scored in each of the first three innings, then separated themselves with a four-run fifth. Kolton Reynolds again supplied a major offensive spark, collecting three hits, including a home run and two doubles, while David Ballenilla added a two-RBI double in the fifth. On the mound, Justin Jackson delivered the most dominant pitching line of the day, working eight innings with 15 strikeouts and limiting Montreat to one late run.

Six teams remain in the tournament, and play resumes Friday at 9 a.m. with two more elimination games to begin the day in Kingsport.

Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, April 28
Game 1 - No. 6 Bryan (24-23) def. No. 7 Reinhardt (22-27), 9-1 (box)
Game 2 - No. 4 Spartanburg Methodist (26-22) def. No. 9 Columbia International (17-30), 9-1 (box)
Game 3 - No. 8 Montreat (32-19) def. No. 5 Pikeville (28-18), 10-0 (8 innings) (box)
Game 4 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (37-14) vs. No. 10 Truett McConnell (17-28), 13-3 (7 innings) (box)

Wednesday, April 29
Game 5 - No. 7 Reinhardt (23-27) def. No. 9 Columbia International (17-31), 7-0 (box) - Columbia International eliminated
Game 6 - No. 6 Bryan (25-23) def. No. 1 Milligan (38-12), 2-1 (box)
Game 7 - No. 5 Pikeville (29-18) def. No. 10 Truett McConnell (17-29), 14-7 (box) - Truett McConnell eliminated
Game 8 - No. 8 Montreat (33-19) def. No. 2 Johnson (36-11), 11-3 (box)

Thursday, April 30
Game 9 - No. 1 Milligan (39-12) def. No. 7 Reinhardt (23-28), 3-2 (box) - Reinhardt eliminated
Game 10 - No. 6 Bryan (26-23) def. No. 4 Spartanburg Methodist (26-23), 10-3 (box)
Game 11 - No. 2 Johnson (37-11) def. No. 5 Pikeville (29-18), 10-1 (box) - Pikeville eliminated
Game 12 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (38-14) def. No. 8 Montreat (33-20), 7-1 (box)

Friday, May 1
Game 13 - No. 1 Milligan (39-12) vs. No. 4 Spartanburg Methodist (26-23), 9 am
Game 14 - No. 2 Johnson (37-11) vs. No. 8 Montreat (33-20), 12 pm
Game 15 - No. 6 Bryan (26-23) vs. Game 13 Winner, 3 pm
Game 16 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (38-14) vs. Game 14 Winner, 6 pm

Saturday, May 2
Schedule will be finalized following the results of Games 13 and 14. If only one game, it will be played at 2 pm. If only 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.