Truett McConnell Claims Softball Tournament Championship

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Truett McConnell won the Appalachian Athletic Conference Softball Tournament championship Friday afternoon, beating Reinhardt 3-0 at Brickyard Ball Fields in Kingsport, Tenn. The sixth-seeded Bears broke a scoreless game in the fifth inning, added two more runs in the sixth, and backed it with a complete-game shutout from Gabby Hughes for the program's first tournament title since 2018.

The championship matchup brought together the No. 6 seed and the No. 2 seed in the women's tournament final. Reinhardt reached the title game after defeating No. 4 seed Bryan 8-0 in five innings earlier Saturday, but Truett McConnell controlled the decisive moments in the later game. Hughes worked all seven innings for the Bears, allowing four hits, striking out three, and walking one over 94 pitches. Truett McConnell finished with six hits and did not commit an error.

For four innings, both teams were held off the board. Reinhardt starter Anslie Pettit kept the game tight and went six innings, allowing three runs. Truett McConnell finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Emma Skipper tripled to center field to put the go-ahead run in scoring position, and Avery Walker followed with a single that brought Skipper home for a 1-0 lead.

The Bears created separation in the sixth. Rylee Walker opened the scoring in the inning with a solo home run to right field, pushing the lead to 2-0. Later in the frame, Morgan Kacalek singled and Grace Folds eventually scored on a wild pitch, with the run ruled unearned, for a 3-0 advantage. Rylee Walker finished 2 for 3 with a home run, an RBI, and a run scored, while Skipper and Avery Walker each helped produce the first run of the game.

Reinhardt was limited to four hits, left four runners on base, and could not generate the timely hit it needed against Hughes. Truett McConnell also left four on base, but its two-run sixth inning gave Hughes enough room to finish the shutout. 

Folds was named the Tournament MVP. Joining her on the All-Tournament Team are Skipper, Walker, and Elizabeth Bennett; Anslie Pettit, Emily Pettit, and Ansley Hight of Reinhardt; KP Smith and Lakyn Lockhart of Bryan; Adelaide Hubbard and Audrey Moorhouse of Johnson; and Alexis Emery of Pikeville.

With the tournament win, Truett McConnell receives an automatic berth to the NAIA National Championship Tournament, joining Johnson, who received a bid for winning the regular-season championship.

Tournament Schedule
Monday, April 27
Game 1 - No. 8 Columbia International (32-15) def. No. 9 Spartanburg Methodist (29-17), 10-5 (box)
Game 2 - No. 7 Milligan (21-20) def. No. 10 Columbia (23-24), 9-1 (box)
Game 3 - No. 4 Bryan (27-22) vs. No. 5 Pikeville (27-14), 9-1 (box)
Game 4 - No. 6 Truett McConnell (27-17) def. No. 3 Brenau (27-16), 12-7 (box)

Tuesday, April 28
Game 5 - No. 5 Pikeville (28-14) def. No. 10 Columbia (23-25), 5-0 (box) - Columbia eliminated
Game 6 - No. 3 Brenau (28-16) def. No. 9 Spartanburg Methodist (29-18), vs., 8-0 (6 innings) (box) - Spartanburg Methodist eliminated
Game 7 - No. 1 Johnson (30-16) def. No. 8 Columbia International (32-16), 6-5 (12 innings) (box)
Game 8 - No. 7 Milligan (22-20) def. No. 2 Reinhardt (23-10), 6-3 (box)

Wednesday, April 29
Game 9 - No. 5 Pikeville (29-14) vs. No. 8 Columbia International (32-17), 5-3 (box) - Columbia International eliminated
Game 10 - No. 2 Reinhardt (24-10) def. No. 3 Brenau (28-17), 7-6 (box) - Brenau eliminated
Game 11 - No. 4 Bryan (28-22) def. No. 1 Johnson (30-17), 6-0 (box)
Game 12 - No. 6 Truett McConnell (28-17) def. No. 7 Milligan (22-21), 8-0 (5 innings) (box)

Thursday, April 30
Game 13 - No. 1 Johnson (31-17) def. No. 5 Pikeville (29-15), 4-3 (9 innings) (box) - Pikeville eliminated
Game 14 - No. 2 Reinhardt (25-10) def. No. 7 Milligan (22-22), 11-8 (box) - Milligan eliminated
Game 15 - No. 6 Truett McConnell (29-17) def. No. 4 Bryan (28-22), 3-2 (8 innings) (box)
Game 16 - No. 2 Reinhardt (26-10) def. No. 1 Johnson (31-17), 5-3 (box) - Johnson eliminated

Friday, May 1
Game 17 - No. 2 Reinhardt (27-10) def. No. 4 Bryan (28-23), 8-0 (5 innings) (box) - Bryan eliminated
Game 18 - Championship Game 1 - No. 6 Truett McConnell (30-17) def. No. 2 Reinhardt (27-11), 3-0 (box) - Truett McConnell wins the championship