Baseball earns 20th win with 8-2 victory at KCU

GRAYSON, Ky. (March 20, 2022) – The Milligan University baseball team notched its 20th victory of the season with an 8-2 triumph at Kentucky Christian on Sunday.

The Buffs move to 20-10 on the year and 9-4 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play. KCU falls to 15-12, 3-10 AAC.

The Buffs took an early 1-0 lead as Brandon Marello led off the ballgame with a double and Anthony Guzman brought him home with a base hit up the middle. The Buffs loaded the bases in the second inning, but stranded all three runners.

Milligan starter Gaven Jones worked out of a sticky situation in the second inning after the Knights recorded back-to-back singles. Jones froze the next batter for a strikeout looking to end the inning.

The Buffs added a run in the fifth when Josh Lail doubled home Justin Greene.

Cade Davis reached with a bunt single in the sixth and pinch runner Logan Estep scored on a ball to hit to right field by Andrew Mathias.

KCU threatened to tie the game in the sixth as the Knights put runners on the corners with two outs, but Jones again ended the inning with a timely strikeout.

Greene scored again in the seventh on an RBI double by Braden Spano. Robert Salcedo scored in the eight off a liner into right center by Marello.

In the ninth, Milligan added three runs with Eric Rigsby tripling home Spano. A grounder from Salcedo plating Rigsby and an Ethan Jones base knock bringing in Salcedo.

Gaven Jones picked up his fifth win of the season. He went six inning, gave up a pair of runs, five hits and had six strikeouts and two walks. Brock Browning struck out five as he pitched scoreless seventh, eighth and ninth innings to secure his fifth save of the season.

Greene had three hits, two runs and two stolen bases on the day. Marello had two hits, a walk, run, and RBI. Salcedo walked twice adn scored twice. 

Milligan closes its three-game set at KCU with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at noon.