Baseball splits doubleheader with Emory & Henry

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (March 31, 2022) – The Milligan University baseball team split a pair of seven-inning games with nonconference opponent Emory & Henry on Saturday afternoon. The Buffs took game one by a score of 6-0 and fell in game two 4-2 in Milligan's first day of competition after the tragic death of cross country/track runner Eli Cramer.

Milligan now sits at 26-13 overall for the season while Emory and Henry is 6-15.

Game 1 – Milligan 6, Emory & Henry 0

After both squads went down in order in the first inning, the Buffs threatened by loading the bases in the bottom half of the second. Josh Lail leadoff with a single to left field and stole second base to give Milligan one on with no outs. Following a pop out in foul territory, Robert Salcedo drew a base on balls. In the next at-bat, a failed pickoff attempt resulted in both runners moving up a base. Andrew Mathias walked to load the bases but another foul out ended the Buffs chances.

Back-to-back doubles from Eric Rigsby and Braden Spano gave Milligan its first run of the ballgame in the third inning. Three consecutive walks followed by a two-out single from Mathias put the Buffs in front 4-0 through the first three innings of play.

Milligan added two more in the bottom of the sixth after Justin Greene singled home Logan Estep, who was pinch running for Casey Haire who led off the inning with a walk. Greene advanced to second base via balk and then proceeded to steal third base. A wild pitch in the next at-bat allowed for Greene to come home as Milligan took a 6-0 lead into the final inning.

Mathias led the Buffs in the RBI category with two while also picking up a hit in the matchup. Rigsby and Spano combined for two hits, two doubles, two runs and an RBI. Greene also added one hit, an RBI and a run scored. Milligan collected five hits as a team and drew nine walks for the game.

Andrei Beal earned the win on the mound with a complete-game five-hit shutout. He punched out 12 Emory & Henry batters while only walking one in his seventh win of the season.


Game 2 – Emory & Henry 4, Milligan 2

The Buffs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game two. Greene singled through the right side of the infield to start the bottom half of the first followed by Rigsby who was hit by a pitch. Spano then ripped a line drive between the first and second baseman leading to a fielding error by the Wasp's right fielder as Greene and Rigsby crossed the plate.

Emory & Henry regained the lead in the top of the third scoring three runs on three hits in the inning. After a hit-by-pitch to the leadoff batter, back-to-back singles led to the Wasp's first run of the game. In the next at-bat, a passed ball moved the runners up to second and third base while an RBI-groundout to short scored run number two. A soft ground ball up the middle with two-outs lead to the third run of the inning for Emory & Henry.

Two Milligan errors in the top of the fifth led to the Wasps adding their fourth and final run. An overthrow on an attempted steal of third base scored the Emory & Henry baserunner as he jogged in easily.

Spano was responsible for one of Milligan's two hits as well as the only RBI. Greene picked up the other hit and scored a run for the Buffs.

Brock Browning was solid on the bump throwing six and two-thirds innings as he gave up three earned runs on six hits while striking out nine.

Milligan will return to action tomorrow for the rubber match with Emory & Henry at 1:30 p.m.