Baseball defeats CIU 4-2 to open AAC play

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 18, 2022) – The Milligan University baseball team opened Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play with a 4-2 victory

Milligan rises to 11-3 on the year and 1-0 in AAC league play. CIU, who received votes in the preseason NAIA top 25 poll, moves to 4-9 on the season and 0-1 in the AAC.

Milligan starting pitcher Andrei Beal posted a pair of strikeouts as he retired the Rams in order in the top of the first. Braden Spano put the Buffs ahead in the bottom of inning with a one out single into center field to score Brandon Marello and Anthony Guzman.

CIU put runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of second inning but Beal froze the Rams' DH to end the inning with a called strike three.

The Rams made it a 2-1 ballgame in the top of the third as a run came home on a wild pitch. The Rams had runners on first and third with one out, but Beal notched a strikeout and force out to end the inning.

Justin Greene hit a two-out double in the bottom of the third but was stranded at second base. The Buffs left runners on the corners in the fourth inning as CIU kept Milligan's lead at a single run.

Beal worked clean fourth and fifth innings before CIU put two runners on in the fifth. After a walk and hit batsman with one out, Beal posted his sixth and seventh strikeouts of the day to end the half inning.

Brock Browning replaced Beal the next inning and used a 5-4-3 double play and foul out to get out of the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, an single and hit batsman put courtesy runner Kobe Miles on first and Andrew Mathias on second with nobody out. Robert Salcedo laid down a successful sacrifice bunt to push the runners to second and third. Marello lifted a fly ball into deep left center, which allowed Mathias to score and Miles to take off for third. CIU's relay to third base got away from the third baseman and Miles scampered home to make Milligan's lead 4-1.

Browning got three quick outs in the eighth and returned to the mound for the ninth leading 4-1. Two singles and a wild pitch brought home CIU's second run of the day and brought the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Browning coaxed a pop out and recorded consecutive strikeouts to end the game and pick up his fourth save.

Beal earned his third win of the season as he allowed one run on three hits in six innings of work. He racked up seven strikeouts to three walks. Browning tossed the final three innings, allowing one run, two hits and striking out a pair.

Spano drove in two runs and Marello had a run and RBI.

Milligan and CIU tangle tomorrow at Anglin Field with two more AAC games. The Buffs and Rams will play a nine inning contest at noon, followed by a seven inning game.