Bulldogs top Bears in AAC opener, will face top seed Wesleyan Thursday

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - For the first time in almost exactly four years, Union baseball has played its way into the winner's bracket of the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament.

Hazel Martinez led a balanced offense, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs, and the fifth-seeded Bulldogs topped No. 4 Truett McConnell 10-4 in the opening round of postseason play Wednesday.

With his team already ahead 4-2, Martinez gave Union even more breathing room in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out, two-run home run. He also drove in the game's first run on an RBI single in the first inning, bringing in Logan Romasanta, who singled on the game's first pitch.

Romasanta, who was one of five Bulldogs with multiple hits, set the tone for an offense that put the leadoff man on base seven times and scored at least one run in each of those innings.

Sammy Serrano closed the scoring, driving in his second run on a ninth inning single then scoring his second on a Nick Seelman groundout. Luke Pell reached base on four of his five plate appearances while David Mitchell also had two hits and a run.

While the offense took advantage of its opportunities, the defense consistently prevented the Bears from seizing on theirs.

Starting pitcher Christian McCollough got off to a rough start, allowing a leadoff home run and walking four in the first inning, but was able to escape a bases-loaded jam with only two runs having scored. He then settled down, allowing just one additional run over five-and-two-thirds innings of work.

The Bears also loaded the bases in both the sixth and ninth, but failed to bring a single runner home in either inning.

The win was Union's first win at the AAC Tournament since May 4, 2019, an 8-4 win that also came against Truett McConnell.

After playing in the tournament's first game Wednesday, the Bulldogs will be part of the final matchup Thursday, where they will face top seed Tennessee Wesleyan, the No. 3 team in the NAIA. Wesleyan fell behind 4-0 before proceeding to score 14 consecutive runs to earn a run-rule win over Milligan late Wednesday.

It will mark the first time since 2021 the two Bulldog squads have faced off.