No. 5 Baseball Shutout Bears

ATHENS, Tenn.- The fifth-ranked baseball team opened Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play with a 5-0 win on Thursday. The team beat the Truett McConnell University Bears in the first game of the three-game series.

Ethan Wright started the game with a triple, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Kolton Reynolds. Josh Shelly, with Allan Gil Fernandez already on base, came to the plate and belted a home run over the left field wall, building the lead to 3-0 after the first inning. 

The remaining two runs came in the second and third innings. 

Rob Gordon opened the bottom of the second inning with a single, moving to third on a Thomas Teel single. A wild pitch gave Gordon the time to race home, moving the team ahead 4-0.

In the third inning, Shelly stood on second after a walk and a stolen base. David Ballenilla hit a single that Shelly would score on, giving the team their 5-0 lead. Cameron Goffar kept the Bears in check on the mound for six innings, only allowing two hits and striking out five batters, while Bradley Johnson did not surrender a hit in three innings to keep the shutout intact.

Shelly led the offense with two RBIs to go along with an RBI each by Reynolds and Ballenilla. Goffar was credited with the win while Johnson was credited with a save.

The win moved the team's record to 9-0 overall.