DAYTON, Tenn. — In one of the most thrilling series of the season, the Bryan College baseball team came out on top against No. 2 nationally ranked Tennessee Wesleyan, winning two of three games at home over the weekend. The Lions explosive offense and clutch pitching came through to take the rivalry series 2-1 and make a statement in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play.
Game 1: Bryan 14, Tennessee Wesleyan 12
Friday's series opener was an all-out slugfest, with Bryan launching six home runs and racking up 16 hits to outlast the Bulldogs in a 14-12 thriller. The game featured five lead changes and home runs from both sides, but it was Bryan's late-game heroics that sealed the win.
Key Performers:
After trailing 9-7 in the fifth, the Lions stormed back in the sixth with four runs, tied the game with a Morton blast, then took the lead in the eighth with back-to-back home runs from Morton and Cook.
Game 2: Tennessee Wesleyan 12, Bryan 5
The Bulldogs bounced back in the nightcap of Friday's doubleheader, using a six-run fifth inning to pull away. Despite home runs from C. Campos and C. Hall, Bryan couldn't match Tennessee Wesleyan's offensive firepower.
Key Performers:
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C. Campos: Solo HR, 2-for-4, 2 runs
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C. Hall: 2-run HR
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D. Morton: 2-for-4, double
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W. Curcio: RBI single
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T. Johnson (L, 2-1): 4.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R (6 ER), 5 K
After briefly cutting the lead to 7-5 in the sixth, Bryan saw the game slip away as the Bulldogs hit three more homers to even the series.
Game 3: Bryan 6, Tennessee Wesleyan 5
Saturday's finale was a nail-biter. Bryan rallied from a 3-0 deficit with a four-run third inning and held off a late push from the Bulldogs to clinch the series.
Key Performers:
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Will Curcio: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs
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G. Warden: 2-for-3, 2 RBIs
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J. Sabo: Sac fly, 1-for-2
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L. Stradley: 2-for-3, double
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Jacob Almon (W, 3-1): 5.1 IP in relief, 2 ER
Bryan took the lead with an aggressive base running play as Cole Cook stole home in the third inning, followed by a clutch two-RBI single from Warden. Almon shut things down in the late innings to seal the series win.
Series Summary
Facing the second-ranked team in the country, Bryan stepped up and delivered one of their strongest series performances of the year. The Lions hit 10 home runs over three games and improved to 14-14 overall and 11-7 in AAC play.
They'll look to ride this momentum into Tuesday as they head to Lebanon, TN to face Cumberland University at 4:00 PM
