MADISONVILLE, Tenn. --- Against the perennial NCCAA powerhouse Hiwassee, the Sabercats nearly pulled out an upset in game one before falling 3-10 in the second game of the doubleheader. The Sabercats were error-less on defense but were held to eleven hits on the day while Hiwassee homered three times.

With the losses, the Sabercats fall to 0-4 in a tough stretch of NCCAA action to open the season. MBU will conclude their trip south with a doubleheader at Berea tomorrow in Knoxville, Tenn.

The first game was competitive from the start, as there was just one hit in the opening two and a half innings. Hiwassee put the first runs on the board in the third inning, and left the basses jammed. (0-2)

MBU presented their answer in the top of the fifth, when Adam Courtney's infield single brought home his brother Sam Courtney. Then Elijah May's sacrifice fly to right field brought home Dennis Reinhardt, and the game was tied at two. (2-2)

The Sabercats' momentum would be short-lived, however, as Hiwassee responded in the bottom of the inning with one of three home runs on the day. (2-3)

The Sabercats' efforts at pulling out the result were stymied by the Tigers, who posted one more run in the sixth inning to cap off the two-run win. (2-4)

The Hiwassee bats came alive in the second game, as the hosts put up 15 hits in six innings. The Tigers recorded one run in each of the first three innings before notching three in the fourth. A homer from Shelden Brogden in the fourth came after Dennis Reinhardt's single brought home Jordan Garrison. (1-6)

The Sabercats left the bases packed in the fifth inning, and posted one more run in the seventh, but it was too little, too late, as the Tigers had registered four runs in the sixth inning thanks to a three-run homer from Collin Wheeler. (3-10)

Despite the losses, head coach Gary Garrison saw the positive takeaways from playing an NCCAA-ranked school. "We competed well all day," said Garrison. "We were tied in the late innings with the #9-ranked NCCAA team. [Our] defense was outstanding all day long."

The Sabercats finish their spring trip south with a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader tomorrow in Knoxville, Tenn. against Berea College.