The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WADE Weinburger Jr and his Bryan College Lions fell short in their bid for a conference championship but still advanced to the 2021 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Baseball National Championships.

The Lions lost 18-4 to Tennessee Wesleyan in Saturday’s Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, but with an appearance in the title game, they secured an automatic bid to the National Championships.

Weinburger went 3-5 with an RBI.

Bryan’s opening round matchup and host site will be announced on Thursday, May 13.

The Lions concluded their 10th-consecutive 30-win regular season with a 32-15 overall record. Bryan is currently ranked No. 17 in the NAIA, marking their 20th-straight poll being ranked in the Top 25. The Lions are top three in the league in eight different statistical categories and showcase one of the most explosive offences in the country.

The Lions are also ranked in the NAIA in 10 statistical categories. Some of these include 15th in home runs per game with 1.55. A slugging percentage of .530 is good for 24th in the country, and a fielding percentage of .960 ranks 31st in the NAIA.

Weinburger’s senior season of milestones was highlighted by the AAC as he earned first team all conference honours for the third time in his storied career. He ranked fourth in the conference and 43rd in the NAIA in RBI with 54. His 14 home runs are ranked seventh in the AAC and 38th in the nation. Weinburger also ranked 10th in the league with a .605 slugging percentage and led the team with 42 runs scored.

Also in the AAC Tournament, Devyn Munroe and his No. 8-seeded Truett McConnell Bears were also eliminated by the eventual champion Tennessee Wesleyan.

In the opening round, the Bears defeated No. 5-seeded Columbia International in a thrilling 11-10 win. Munroe finished 1-5 with three RBI.

In the semifinal, they suffered a 9-1 loss to Tennessee Wesleyan. It was TMU’s second consecutive trip to the AAC Tournament Semifinals. The Bears concluded their season with a record of 29-23, 14-15 AAC.

In 50 games this season, Munroe hit .283 with 47 hits, 24 RBI, 39 runs scored, and five stolen bases.

In the Sun Conference, Dominique Collie Jr and the Webber International Warriors were eliminated after a 5-0 loss to Keiser and a 7-3 loss to South Carolina Beaufort.

Webber, which is now 28-24 overall, will now have to wait and see if it is selected to compete in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round for the fourth season in a row.

Collie is hitting .267 with 44 hits, nine doubles, seven triples, 34 runs scored, 41 RBI, slugging .408 with nine stolen bases.