Buffs go 2-0 on opening day with wins over Rio Grande and Lindsey Wilson

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (February 4, 2023) - The Milligan University baseball team opened its 2023 season with two shutout victories over Rio Grande and Lindsey Wilson at Dobyns-Bennett High School on Saturday.

MILLIGAN 11, RIO GRANDE 0

The Buffs got off to a slow start against the Red Storm. Rio stranded a runner on first after a batter's inference ended the inning. Collins used a ground out and a fly out in addition to the batter's inference to end the frame.

The Buffs broke open the game by scoring 10 runs on nine hits in the bottom of the fourth. Brandon Marello started the inning with a single to left field. Anthony Guzman then hit a RBI double to left center to bring home Marello. Caleb Berry knocked a double to right center that brought the score to 2-0.

With only one out, Vicente Mendoza hit a two RBI single to left field to score Andrew Mathias and Guzman. Milligan kept rallying with a single by Jaden Steagall to score both Angel Lobo and Jack Sutton. With two outs in the inning, Braeden Spano cleared the bases with a three-run knock over the right center field wall to make the score 10-0 in the bottom of the fourth.

The Red Storm quickly retired three to end the fifth inning. Following a fly out to centerfield, Casey Haire hit a solo shot to right center to make the score 11-0 in the sixth. 

Patrick Collins tossed four innings in a six hit, three strikeout performance on Opening Day. Canyon Geren came in at the top of the fifth and pitched the final two innings surrendering zero hits, fanning three while also collecting his first save of the season. 

Guzman led the offensive attack for the Buffs going three for four with two doubles and one RBI. Spano led Milligan with three RBIs and a three-run Home Run. Steagall and Mendoza both added a hit and two RBIs on the day. Haire joined the Home Run category with a solo shot to right. 

MILLIGAN 7, LINDSEY WILSON  0

Afrer a 1-2-3 inning from Andrei Beal in the top of the first, the Buffs posted three runs on three hits and one error in the bottom half of the inning. Marello ledoff with a single through the right side and later scored on a two-RBI single to right field by Caleb Berry that also plated Spano. Guzman then scored on a wild pick off attempt from Lindsey Wilson to make it a 3-0 game. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Milligan scored four runs on four hits to take a commanding lead. Back-to-back singles from Spano and Guzman gave the Buffs two runners on base with no outs. Following a sacrifice bunt and strikeout, Jack Sutton knocked in both runners with a base hit to right field. Logan Hullette then proceeded to launch a homerun over the right field wall to give the Buffs a 7-0 advantage through three innings. 

The Blue raiders collected their first hit of the ball game with a two-out single through the right side in the top of the sixth inning. Jimmy Gamboa retired the third out with a groundout to Andrew Mathias at shortstop. 

Milligan went down in order in the bottom half of the sixth, but Gamboa slammed the door in the top of the seventh with two strikeouts and a pop-out to shortstop.

Marello, Spano, Berry, and Hullette all had two hits apiece in the contest. Meanwhile, Berry, Sutton, and Hullette accounted for all six of the Buff's RBIs with two from each player.

On the mound, Beal turned in a spectacular performance with five innings pitched, no hits, one walk, and 11 strikeouts. Gamboa came on in relief and finished with two innings pitched, one hit, one walk, and four strikeouts.

Milligan returns to the diamond tomorrow to face West Virginia Tech at 2:00 P.M.