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Buffs complete sweep over Union

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (March 26, 2022)— The Milligan University baseball team defeated Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) opponent Union College 11-1 in game two and 12-3 in game three of Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader.

Buffs complete sweep over Union
Box Score Box Score
March 26, 2022

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (March 26, 2022)— The Milligan University baseball team defeated Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) opponent Union College 11-1 in game two and 12-3 in game three of Saturday afternoon's doubleheader.

The Buffs climb to 25-11 (13-5 AAC) with the win while Union falls to 5-15 (4-11 AAC).

 

Game 1 - Milligan 11, Union 1

Game one started with a bunt single on the first base side from the Bulldogs leadoff batter. After stealing second base, a ground ball moved the runner to third base. In the following at-bat, a one-out ground ball to first base scored the run to give Union a 1-0 lead after the top of the first inning.

Milligan avenged the run with one of their own in the bottom half of the first. Brandon Marello hit a leadoff double to right field to get the inning started for the Buffs. A wild pitch moved Marello all the way to third base before a sacrifice fly from Justin Greene scored the run.

After a scoreless second, the Buffs offense exploded for six runs in the home half of the third. Andrew Mathias, after singling up the middle to start the inning, advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt then scored on a Marello single through the right side of the infield. After an error and base on balls to the next two Milligan hitters, Braden Spano cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to right center field. Josh Lail followed up with a double down the right field line to plate Spano and later scored on a sacrifice fly into center field by Robert Salcedo.

The Buffs added another run in the fourth after Cade Davis leadoff the inning with a double down the right field line. Logan Estep, pinch-running for Davis, later scored on a sacrifice fly into right field as Anthony Guzman picked up the RBI.

In the fifth, Spano started the inning with a double, his second of the game, into left center. After a single on a hard-hit line drive into center field by Lail, Spano moved up to third base and scored in the next at-bat as Salcedo hit a one-out single through the left side of the infield.

Milligan added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth as the mercy rule came into effect. Guzman drew a two-out walk then scored on a double to right center from Justin Greene as he scored all the way from first base. Back-to-back wild pitches allowed Greene to score giving Milligan its 11th run of the game in addition to the win.

Andrei Beal was phenomenal on the mound for the Buffs as he finished with eight innings pitched, one hit and one earned run to go along with 13 strikeouts. Beal now has six wins on the season.

On the offensive side, Spano (3), Greene (2) and Salcedo (2) all recorded multiple RBIs in game one as they combined for four hits and four runs scored. Marello, Guzman and Lail also picked up RBIs for the Buffs while combining for four hits and five runs scored.  

 

Game 2 – Milligan 12, Union 3

The Bulldogs struck first in game two as a leadoff walks later turned into a run on a single through the right side of the infield. The Buffs got out of the inning on a nice 5-4-3 double-play as Union threatened to add on to their lead. A leadoff home run to left center in the top of the second gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead with Milligan coming to bat in the bottom half.

The Buffs tied the game with two runs in the home half as Mathias laced a two-out RBI-double down the left field line to score Salcedo. A fielding error from the Bulldog pitcher in the next at-bat brought Mathias home to give Milligan its second run.

Back-to-back hits to start the bottom of the third led to another Milligan run as Guzman singled through the left side and Greene roped a line drive up the middle. Spano then scored Guzman on a sacrifice fly to right field as the Buffs took the lead 3-2.

Offensively, Milligan continued to pour it on the Bulldogs scoring seven more runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Buffs collected six hits in the inning with five different players tacking on RBIs. Mathias led off the inning with a double into right center and later scored on a Marello single through the right side. Consecutive walks with the bases loaded gave the Buffs its second and third runs of the inning.

Rigsby laced a two-RBI double down the left field line in the next at-bat before Logan Hullette followed up with another this time down the right field line. The Buffs took a commanding 10-2 into the fifth inning.

Union scored one in the top of the fifth to trim the deficit to seven, but the Buffs offense was not quite finished yet. Milligan scored two more in the home half to go up by nine. Spano, picking up his third RBI of the ballgame, scored Ben Grable with a fielder's choice hit to the Bulldog shortstop who was playing in double-play depth. Rigsby, in his fourth hit of the game, singled up the middle in the next at-bat to plate Spano and give the Buffs a 12-3 lead heading into the sixth.

The Buffs only surrendered one baserunner over the final two innings as they closed the game out to take the series sweep over Union.

Rigsby led the attack in game two as he went four-for-four with a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Marello, Guzman and Mathias also picked up two hits apiece as they combined to score a total of four runs. Spano finished the game with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Brock Browing, in his third win on the season, threw five solid innings only allowing three hits and three earned runs in addition to four strikeouts. Chance Hall, in relief work, pitched the final two innings surrendering no hits while punching out four Bulldogs. 

Milligan will return to the diamond on Tuesday with a midweek nonconference matchup with Cumberland at 3:00 p.m.