TWC News
05.19.2010 - [Baseball]
The Bulldogs played Southern Poly in their first game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round in Columbus, Georgia.  The failed to keep their lead when Southern Poly came back to score in the 8th and win the game 4-3. 

Tennessee Wesleyan built a quick 3-0 lead in first. Ryan Santos led off with a home run over the left-field fence. The team's home run leader, Cody Gaskill, hit a double into deep left-center. Brad Pippa brought Gaskill home with an RBI-single. Designated hitter Andrew Tharp also drove in a run.

It held up until the eighth. Leading 3-1, a wild throw from third baseman Rafael Carlot after fielding a bunt from Southern Poly's Mason Heller opened the floodgates. Heller made it all the way to third on the error while Jake Barrow and Jono Waugh both scored to tie the game. A run-scoring single by Gary Owens broke the tie.
 
Brad Pippa led the team with 3 hits.  Andrew Tharp and Cody Gaskill each had a double.  Ryan Santos had a home run but also one of the 3 errors for the Bulldogs.   Hamilton Bennett pitched 7 innings with 4 runs on 7 hits while striking out 11.  Daniel Wood came in as relief in the 8th to give up no hits and no runs while striking out one. 
 
The Bulldogs play Indiana University-Southeast at 11:00 am.