Late game rally falls short for Skyhawks in opening round of AAC tournament

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (May 4, 2022) – The Point University baseball team opened Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament play against Bryan College Wednesday afternoon and fell to the Lions 12-7.

Bryan took an early 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the top of the second but used a seven-run fourth inning to take a commanding 8-0 lead. In the fifth, the Lions extended its lead with four more runs.

The Skyhawks would start to chip away at Bryan's lead, with Kevin Howard leading off the bottom of the fifth with a triple to left field. II Zadod Gabriel pinch ran and scored off a wild pitch to get Point on the scoreboard. In the bottom of the sixth, Kole Sonnier connected for a leadoff home run and Jackson Bush continued Point's scoring in the inning with a 2-run home run, making the score 12-4.

Point tacked on three more runs in the eighth, starting with an RBI single from Jhamante Woods. Kevin Howard would follow with a sacrifice fly and Francisco Garcia would round out the scoring with a double to center field that scored Woods (12-7). The Skyhawks looked to keep its offense hot in the final inning, but the Lions held Point scoreless to earn the victory.

Point outhit Bryan 12-10, with Dillon Brown, Woods, Bush, Howard and Garcia recording two hits each. Connor Varnum and Sonnier each recorded a hit. Brown is currently on an 11-game hitting streak. In the sixth inning, Woods came into the game and got a hit in both of his plate appearances.

On the mound for the Skyhawks, Cole Brown suffered the loss, going 3.2 innings, giving up two hits, eight runs (all earned), walking 10 and striking out five. Salter Greene came in for relief for Sage McWaters in the fifth and kept Bryan off the scoreboard for the remainder of the contest, tossing 4.1 innings, giving up three hits and striking out two. Bryan took advantage of 11 walks in the first four innings.

The Skyhawks will fight to continue its season tomorrow as they face the loser between Bluefield and Reinhardt in an elimination game tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, Tenn.