Buffs fall to Cumberland in midweek nonconference matchup
MILLIGAN, Tenn. (March 29, 2022)— The Milligan University baseball team was defeated by Cumberland University 10-5 in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday afternoon.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cumberland
|
0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 2 |
|
Milligan
|
0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 2 |
MILLIGAN, Tenn. (March 29, 2022)— The Milligan University baseball team was defeated by Cumberland University 10-5 in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday afternoon.
The Buffs fall to 25-12 with the loss while Cumberland climbs to 20-15 for the year.
Cumberland was the first team on the scoreboard as they pushed two runs across in the top of the second. After a hit by pitch to start the inning, two singles and two wild pitches led to both runs crossing the plate for the Phoenix.
The Buffs responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the third to tie the game. Cade Davis led off the inning with a single up the middle, followed by a single to right field by Brandon Marello to put runners on first and third with no outs. Eric Rigsby executed the squeeze play to perfection in the next at-bat as Milligan scored its first run of the ballgame. Marello, who advanced to second on the bunt, stole third base then scored on sacrifice fly to left field by Justin Greene to knot the game at two runs apiece.
Six runs in the top of the fourth gave Cumberland a sizeable lead as the Buffs were left with work to do in the ladder part of the game. After a leadoff single and error gave the Phoenix baserunners on second and third with no outs, Cumberland laced a two-RBI double to center. A wild pitch, sacrifice fly, and two-RBI single ensued as the Phoenix grew their lead to 8-2 through four innings of play.
Two more runs on two hits for Cumberland in the top of the fifth extended the lead to eight as the Buffs pitching staff struggled to get outs. Following a leadoff single and base on balls to the first two Phoenix hitters, a sacrifice fly to center and single through the middle of the infield gave Cumberland a 10-2 lead after five innings.
The Buffs added one run in the home half of the eighth as Andrew Mathias doubled to score Logan Hullette. Milligan trimmed the Phoenix lead to seven runs with one more at-bat in the bottom of the ninth.
Milligan scored two in the bottom of the ninth but failed to pick up any more runs as Cumberland secured the 10-5 victory. Braden Spano roped a two-run homer over the left field wall with two outs but unfortunately, that was all for the Buffs as they fell to Cumberland for the second time this season.
Marello, Spano, Mathias, Davis and Josh Lail each picked up two hits for the Buffs as they combined for all of Milligan's ten hits for the game. Spano led in the RBI category with two as Rigsby, Mathias, and Greene also added one to their final stat line. The Buffs actually outhit the Phoenix (10-9) but left nine runners on base compared to six for Cumberland.
Milligan will return to the diamond on Friday with a weekend series versus Emory & Henry at 4:00 p.m.
