Guzman’s walk-off homer lifts Buffs in split twin bill
Anthony Guzman smacked a solo home run to left field to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and send the Milligan University baseball team to victory in the Buffaloes’ 2021 season opener. The day ended with a split twin bill against USC Beaufort at a neutral site at Columbia International University. Milligan won the first game 2-1 before falling 4-0 in the second game.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Jan. 30, 2021) – Anthony Guzman smacked a solo home run to left field to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and send the Milligan University baseball team to victory in the Buffaloes' 2021 season opener. The day ended with a split twin bill against USC Beaufort at a neutral site at Columbia International University. Milligan won the first game 2-1 before falling 4-0 in the second game.
Guzman's home run was one of two hits for him in the first game, and the Buffaloes complemented that with solid pitching in both games. Brock Browning gave up only two hits over five shutout innings prior to Guzman's walk-off hit, striking out five in a no-decision.
Brandon Marello made the game-two start and had a perfect game with five strikeouts going through the first three innings before an injury on the basepath in the bottom of the third forced an early exit. Four relief pitchers saw work over the last four innings, including TJ Kuhn who struck out the side in a perfect seventh and Andrei Beal who struck out both batters he faced in helping Milligan escape a sixth-inning jam.
Milligan's best chance to score in game two came in between Kuhn and Beal's appearances. A couple of walks to lead off the inning had two on with no one out, and the Buffaloes later had the bases loaded with one out. However, a popout and groundout ended the inning.
Up next, the Buffs will compete in the Clash of Conferences tournament, set for next Friday and Saturday at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Johnson City, Tennessee. Milligan's games are scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. For information regarding Milligan's fan attendance policy, please visit milliganbuffs.com.