(RV) Buffaloes Baseball Drops Midweek Tilt in Extra Innings at Johnson

Joe Ducharme tossed 5.2 innings of three-run ball against Johnson in (RV) Milligan baseball’s 6-5 loss in 10 innings on Tuesday in Knoxville
Joe Ducharme tossed 5.2 innings of three-run ball against Johnson in (RV) Milligan baseball’s 6-5 loss in 10 innings on Tuesday in Knoxville
February 25, 2025

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Tuesday, Milligan University's baseball squad traveled west to face the Johnson University Royals in a midweek non-conference bout. In a game that went beyond regulation, Milligan dropped a tight 6-5 battle in 10 innings to drop to 11-6 on the season.

Johnson put up the game's first run, scoring on a sacrifice fly to lead 1-0 over the Buffaloes after two frames. 

The Royals would add on a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth on a double and a single to make it 3-0.

Milligan's offense was quiet until the top of the eighth, when they scored a quarter of runs to take a 4-3 lead. An Angel Lobo RBI single started the party, and Nick Iezzi whacked a two-run double to tie the score at 3-3, driving in Lobo and Brody Melton. Gaven Jones then grounded into a fielder's choice to score Skyler Saunders, putting the Buffaloes ahead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Johnson tied the score and sent the game to extra innings with a sacrifice fly.

The Buffs scored one in the top of the tenth on a wild pitch, as Saunders came in to score, but the Royals would supply a two-run walk-off double in the bottom half to win 6-5 over Milligan.

Lobo (2-for-5, RBI, R), Iezzi (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Cade Kalehuawehe (2-for-3) had two hits apiece in the loss.

Joe Ducharme started the game on the bump and allowed three earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts across 5.2 innings pitched. He was followed by Patrick Collins, who tossed 2.1 hitless innings with a pair of punchouts. Creed Werker was hit for two earned runs on one hit in 1.1 innings, and Josh Carrico allowed the final run on a hit in the tenth.

Milligan will now be tasked with suppressing a talented Bryan College squad this weekend, as the first game of the three-game AAC set will be played on Friday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. on Anglin Field.