TWU Powers Way To Baseball Tournament Title

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Tennessee Wesleyan won the 2026 Appalachian Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament championship with an 8-2 victory over Bryan on Saturday at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, Tenn. The No. 3 seed Bulldogs scored in five different innings, got seven strong innings from starter Colton Brumley, and secured their third consecutive tournament championship against the No. 6 seed Lions.

Tennessee Wesleyan took control early and never trailed. The Bulldogs scored their first run in the second inning when Ethan Wright doubled to left to bring home David Ballenilla, with the run ruled unearned. They added another in the fourth on Jacob Tolson's sacrifice fly, making it 2-0. Bryan cut the deficit in half in the fifth when Jayron Morris hit a solo home run to left, but Tennessee Wesleyan answered quickly in the bottom half.

That response became the game's turning point. Rob Gordon hit a two-run homer to center in the fifth to push the lead back to three runs, and Brayan Espinoza added an RBI groundout later in the inning for a 5-1 advantage. Gordon finished with four RBIs, adding a two-run double in the eighth. Tennessee Wesleyan totaled nine hits, including five doubles and one home run, and also took advantage of Bryan's five errors, which contributed to several unearned runs.

Brumley handled the rest from the mound. The right-hander worked 7.0 innings, allowed five hits and two earned runs, walked two, and struck out three on 104 pitches to earn the win. Bryan managed only two scoring plays, Morris' solo homer in the fifth and Brodie Genter's RBI single in the seventh that brought home Morgan Halliday. Morris also doubled and finished with two hits for the Lions.

Bryan briefly threatened to chip away in the seventh when Genter's single made it 5-2, but Tennessee Wesleyan answered again in the bottom of the inning. After Gordon was hit by a pitch and stole a base, Josh Shelly singled to right to score him and restore a four-run margin. Shelly finished with two hits and an RBI for Tennessee Wesleyan.

The Bulldogs added the final runs in the eighth when Gordon doubled to right to drive in two more, both unearned, stretching the lead to 8-2. That late cushion finished off another championship run for Tennessee Wesleyan, which turned a steady offensive day and a clean defensive performance into its third straight AAC tournament crown at Hunter Wright Stadium.

Gordon was named the Tournament MVP. Joining him on the All-Tournament Team are Justin Jackson, Kolton Reynolds, David Ballenilla, and Josh Shelly; Tanner Everett, Brody Genter, and Cyrus Campos of Bryan; Matthew Brunner of Montreat; Mitchell Birdsall of Johnson; Ty Pangborn of Reinhardt; and Braxton Baird of Milligan.

By virtue of advancing to the championship game, both Tennessee Wesleyan and Bryan receive an automatic berth to the NAIA National Championship.

This also marks the 24th consecutive season Tennessee Wesleyan has won either the regular-season and/or tournament championships. 

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 (40-12) def. No. 4 Spartanburg Methodist (26-24), 6-2 (box) - Spartanburg Methodist eliminated
Game 14 - No. 8 Montreat (34-20) def. No. 2 Johnson (37-12), 6-4 (box) - Johnson eliminated
Game 15 - No. 6 Bryan (27-23) vs. No. 1 Milligan (40-13), 7-4 (box) - Milligan eliminated
Game 16 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (39-14) vs. No. 8 Montreat (34-21), 11-4 (box) - Montreat eliminated

Saturday, May 2
Game 17 - Championship Game - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (40-14) def. No. 6 Bryan (27-24), 8-2 (box) - Tennessee Wesleyan wins the championship