Buffs split with Bears despite late inning comeback
Brock Browning pitched his second complete game Saturday afternoon in Johnson City to help lift the Milligan College baseball team to a 3-2 victory in game one of the three game series against Shawnee State, but despite a seventh inning comeback that saw four back-to-back hits by the Buffs, the Bears picked up their first win of the season on a 7-4 win in game two.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 22, 2020) – Brock Browning pitched his second complete game Saturday afternoon in Johnson City to help lift the Milligan College baseball team to a 3-2 victory in game one of the three game series against Shawnee State, but despite a seventh inning comeback that saw four back-to-back hits by the Buffs, the Bears picked up their first win of the season on a 7-4 win in game two.
Game one recap
In the first game, Shawnee State got on the board first from a sacrifice fly that scored the first run of the game in the top of the third. The Buffs turned around however and evened up the score after a sacrifice bunt by Ben Grable pushed Will Findley to third base, where he was able to score on a Brandon Marello sac fly to left field. In the fourth inning, Richard Polinsky reached second base via error and Chance Hall was able to drive him in from a triple to deep right-center field to give the Buffs a 2-1 lead.
Shawnee State answered back with a solo home run to start off the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth Milligan was able to pull into the lead for good as a fielding error by the Bears allowed Findley to score.
Browning went all seven innings giving up seven hits, two runs with one being earned, two walks and five strikeouts. Findley went 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and scoring twice. Marello and Hall accounted for the two RBI's.
Game two recap
Hall got the start for game two and the Bears quickly made their way on the board with a sac fly in the first inning to score a run and put the Bears up 1-0. Milligan answered back in the bottom of the second with Polinsky starting the inning with a double down the right field line. Hall followed with a single to left center to drive Polinsky in. Shawnee was able to answer back and score in the top of the third before Milligan was able to even the score up with Hall hitting his second triple of the day and scoring on a wild pitch.
The Buffs and the Bears entered the fifth inning tied up at two, but Shawnee was able to open the game up in the top of fifth, scoring four runs. They were able to add on another run in the top of the seventh to lead 7-2 going into Milligan's final offensive frame.
Despite two outs to start the inning, Milligan was able to string together four hits to score two runs to trail Shawnee 7-4. However, it was all the scoring Milligan would do as the Bears brought in a relief pitcher to get the final out of the game.
Hall went the first three innings, but Jack Bembry suffered the loss going one and two-third of an inning, giving up three hits, four runs, two earned, three walks and three strikeouts. Brian Baxa came in for relief after Bembry and went 2 and one-third of an inning and was able to account for every out for the remainder of the game with seven strikeouts.
Blake Dutton went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Hall went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Up next
Milligan will complete the 3-game series against Shawnee State tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 23. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at TVA Credit Union Ballpark.