Baseball starts AAC play 6-0 with series sweep of (RV) Bryan

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 28, 2022) – The Milligan University baseball team notched another three-game sweep of an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) foe receiving votes in the national rankings as the Buffs triumphed over Bryan 2-1 and 7-2 at Anglin Field on Monday afternoon.

Milligan moves to 16-4 on the season and 6-0 in league play. Bryan falls to 6-11, 2-4 AAC.

Game 1 – Milligan 2, Bryan 1

Game one resumed on Monday afternoon after the Buffs and Lions played the first three innings of a seven-inning AAC contest on Saturday before rain suspended the game until Monday.

The only run scored during Saturday's portion of the game came in the bottom of the second inning. Ethan Jones scored Gaven Jones with a two-out single into right field.

Milligan starting pitcher Brandon Marello faced runners on first and three with one out, but struck out the next two Lions to end the inning.

When the game resumed in the top of the fourth inning on Monday, Brock Browning took the mound for the Buffs. He retired the Loins in four batters in the fourth to restart the action.

Bryan tied the game in the top of the fifth as a double, a groundout and infield single brought the score even at one. A two-out single put runners on the corners for the Lions, but Browning was able to coax a grounder to second to end the inning.

Justin Greene legged out a double to right field to lead off the sixth for the Buffs. He advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a walk, a Milligan bunt attempt turned into a double play when the bunt was snagged out of the air and the Lions were able to double off the runner on first, who was stealing on the play. A flyout ended the inning with Greene stranded 90 feet away.

Browning sat down the Bryan in order in the seventh, giving Milligan an opportunity to win it in the bottom of the frame. Casey Haire lined a pinch-hit single into center field with two outs. Pinch runner Ben Grable stole second and pinch hitter Logan Hullette delivered a walk off double into right field to hand the Buffs a 2-1 victory.

Browning threw the final 3.2 innings, allowed one run on four hits and struck out three to earn his first win of the season. Marello tossed 3.1 scoreless innings and had five strikeouts on the day.

Game 2 – Milligan 7, Bryan 2

After a low-scoring one run game, Milligan blasted its way to six runs in the first two innings and collected a series sweep.

Milligan took an early 2-0 lead in game two as Greene swatted an opposite field home run to drive in Guzman in the bottom of the first.

Game two starter Gaven Jones stranded a pair of runners in the top of the second and the Buffs added on to their lead in the bottom of the frame.

Andrew Mathias doubled and Cade Davis singled to put runners on the corners with nobody out to begin the home half of the second. A Robert Salcedo bunt single flew into a dead zone beyond the pitcher's mound and second base to bring home Mathias. Courtesy runner Kobe Miles scored on an error and double down the left field line by Guzman plated two more runs as Milligan grew its lead to 6-0.

Bryan put a runner on third with two outs in the top of the third, but Jones recorded a punchout on Bryan's cleanup batter to conclude the inning.

An error, single and hit batsman loaded the bases for the Lions in the top of the fourth with one out. Jones pained the outside corner for a strikeout and got the next batter to bounce back to the mound to strand all three baserunners.

Marello led off the fourth with a double down the line in left. He came around and scored to make it a 7-0 game on a base hit into left by Guzman.

A solo home run in the top of the fifth gave Bryan its first run of the day. Jones bounced back scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh before Graham Hooker entered the game in the eighth.

Bryan's Mark Thornhill blasted another solo home run to center field in the eight. The Loins could have added more, but Guzman gunned down a Bryan player trying to stretch a single into a double and Davis threw out a pinch runner to end the inning.

Chancery Hall worked the ninth as the Buffs recorded the 7-2 victory.

Jones moved to 3-0 on the season as he threw seven strong innings. He struck out seven, walked none and allowed one run on seven hits by the Loins.

Guzman was 3-4 in game two with three runs batted in, two doubles and a run scored. Greene had two hits, a home run, two RBI and a run. Marello scored twice.

Milligan hits the road for a nonconference matchup at Cumberland tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m.