Bulldogs win AAC Championship

Tennessee Wesleyan scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning, as the Bulldogs rallied back from a two run deficit to take a 7-4 victory from Bryan (Tenn.) in the Championship Game of the 2015 Appalachian Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Hunter Wright Stadium.

With the win, TWC moved to 43-10 on the year and earned the AAC's automatic bid to the upcoming NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round. Despite losing, Bryan (now 42-16) earned the AAC's second bid to the National Championship, and will make an appearance in the Opening Round for the second straight season.

In a theme of their first three games of the Tournament, Bryan fell behind early in the contest, giving up single runs in the tops of the first and second innings, as TWC grabbed the early 2-0 lead. But, in the bottom of the second, Bryan attacked, as Joey Underwood hit a two-run home run to quickly tie the game up at 2-2.

In the fourth, Bryan took the lead for the first time on the day on a Chris Jefferies RBI sacrifice fly, then added their final run in the eighth on a Langston Calhoun solo home run, making the score 4-2 entering the ninth inning.

Meanwhile, TWC was kept completely at bay by the Bryan pitching staff for six innings, as they failed to bring a run across throughout that period. Things changed dramatically for the Bulldogs, however, in the ninth.

After a walk and single led off the inning, and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one away, Wesleyan's Brad Carpenter forced another walk, loading the bases. Next up for the Bulldogs was Wardy Polanco who smacked an RBI single into shallow left field to cut the deficit down to 4-3.

Next up was the AAC's Player of the Year Ridge Hoopi-Haslam with the bases still loaded, and he delivered in a huge way, roping a bases clearing, three-RBI double down the left field line that catapulted TWC into the lead at 6-4. Haslam was then brought home on a Jordan Garrett RBI single, giving the Bulldogs a three-run lead.

In the bottom of the frame, relief pitcher Logan Longwith came on and shut down the Lions to earn the save, as TWC captured the tournament title with a thrilling come-from-behind victory.

Overall, four different TWC players had two hits in the game, led by Hoopi-Haslam who ended the day with three RBI. On the losing end, Underwood had a big day, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

On the mound, reliever Brandon Landrie earned the win for TWC, while Francisco Colin was the loser for Bryan.

At the conclusion of the tournament, an All-Tournament team was selected. Named to the All Tournament team from TWC was: Wardy Polanco, Cody Albright, Cody Stroud, Ridge Hoopi-Haslam (MVP).