Lail delivers walk-off win over Pikeville

Milligan, Tenn. (March 8, 2022)— The Milligan University baseball team defeated the University of Pikeville 5-4 in a nonconference matchup on Tuesday afternoon. The Buffs won the game in extra innings as Josh Lail walked it off with a line drive single to left field in the bottom of the tenth.

Milligan is now 17-8 (6-3 AAC) following the win while Pikeville drops to 8-17.

Pikeville got the scoring started in the top of the first after a leadoff triple followed by a sacrifice fly gave the Bears their first run of the day. The Buffs tied the game in the bottom of the third inning after Justin Greene singled and later scored on a Braden Spano into right Field.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Milligan took a 4-1 lead after Spano launched a three-run home run over the left field wall with two outs. Scoring on the play was Andrew Mathias who got on base via walk and Anthony Guzman who reached on a single through the right side of the infield.

Pikeville threatened to score in the top of the seventh after a wild pitch gave the Bears' two runners in scoring position with two outs. Chance Hall then struck out the next hitter with three pitches to get Milligan out of the jam.

The Buffs also had a chance to add a run in the bottom of the seventh after Mathias leadoff the inning with a double into left center field followed by a bunt single from Guzman in which Mathias advanced to third. A strikeout for out number two and hard line drive right at the center fielder ended the inning for Milligan.

Pikeville scored three runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game at four. Back-to-back walks followed by a bunt-single in between the pitcher and third baseman to load the bases for the Bears with no outs. A sacrifice fly gave Milligan their first out in the inning but a 2-RBI single into center field by the Pikeville third baseman in the next at bat tied the game going into the home half of the ninth.

After a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for Milligan, Pikeville drew back-to-back walks with two outs to put baserunners on first and second. A fly out to right field closed the inning for the Bears to give the Buffs a chance to win it in the bottom of the tenth.

The first two batters for Milligan in the inning hit into outs via a groundout and pop out to the Pikeville second baseman. Brandon Marello, in the next at bat, singled to center field and stole second base to give the Buffs a baserunner in scoring position. Lail, on a full count, ripped a line-drive between the shortstop and third baseman to walk it off in the bottom of the tenth inning.

Jack Bembry turned in a strong outing on the mound for the Buffs going six innings, only allowing two hits and one earned run to go along with five strikeouts. Hall, in his one inning of work, gave up two hits but recorded all three outs via the strikeout.