Baseball clinches season-opening sweep over Rio Grande

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 3, 2024) – The Milligan University baseball team completed a four-game sweep of Rio Grande to open the 2024 season at Anglin Field on Saturday. The Buffs earned an 11-10 win in game one and took a 4-0 victory in game two.

Milligan moves to 4-0 on the season while Rio Grande falls to 0-4.

Game 1 – Milligan 11, Rio Grande 10 (7 innings)

Game one featured a combined 21 runs, 28 hits and six longballs. Ryan Molinari launched a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to deliver Milligan to the 11-10 victory.

The Red Strom struck first with a two-run homer in the top of the opening inning. Andrew Mathias swatter a two-run home run in the second and a three-run shot in the third to put the Buffs ahead 7-3.

Rio Grande responded with five runs in the fourth as the Red Storm's AJ Thomas blasted a three-run shot to give the visitors an 8-7 edge. Jose Paula tied the game with a solo shot in the home half of the fourth and Vicente Mendoza drove in Vasili Kaloudis with a double to had the Buffs a 9-8 edge.

The Red Storm plated a pair of runs in the fifth with a groundout and infield single to lead 10-9. Molinari brought home Mendoza with his go-ahead home run.

Rio Grande threatened to tie the game in the seventh with a leadoff double. The next batter smacked a base hit into center field and Paula threw out the attempted game-tying run at the plate. The Red Storm had batters on second and third with one out before Canyon Geren notched back-to-back strikeouts to close the game.

Mathais went 3-3 with two home runs, five RBI and tow runs scored. Molinari drove in three runs and homered for the second-straight day. Paula had two hits, a home run and two RBI.

Creed Werker was the winning pitcher with 2.1 innings and two earned runs. Geren picked up the save.

Game 2 – Milligan 4, Rio Grande 0 (7 innings)

After the fireworks of game one, neither team scored in the first four innings of game two. Milligan starter Anfernee Fernandez held the Red Storm off the scoreboard as he struck out nine and allowed two hits and two walks in five innings of work.

The Buffs broke through with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Caleb Berry smacked an RBI double to score pinch runner Miller Spence. Paula brought home two runs with a base hit and Kaloudis drove in another run with a groundout.

Ian Weil worked two scoreless innings in relief. He retired the side in order in the sixth. Rio Grande loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate but Paula made a running catch in right-center field to preserve the shutout and seal the seven-inning win.

Berry had two hits and Paula drove two runs. The Buffs did not allow a leadoff batter to reach base in any inning.

The Buffs host Alice Lloyd on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.