Baseball snaps Cumberland’s nine-game winning streak

LEBANON, Tenn. (March 14, 2023) – The Milligan University baseball team scored a 11-3 victory over Cumberland in a nonconference matchup at Woody Hunt Stadium on Tuesday.

Milligan's victory moved the Buffs to 14-10 on the year and snapped Cumberland's nine-game winning streak. The Phoenix fell to 15-5-1 on the season.

Cumberland held the Buffs off the scoreboard despite Milligan drawing three walks in the top of the first and the Phoenix took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the frame.

Milligan struck back with a four-run second inning with Jaden Steagall, Andrew Mathias, Angel Lobo and Anthony Guzman all driving in a run.

The Buffs scored in the next four innings as the Milligan lead grew to 9-2 after six innings. Brandon Marello scored on a passed ball in the third, Caleb Berry and Guzman drove in runs in the fourth, Berry brought home pinch runner Kobe Miles in the fifth and Braden Spano doubled in a run in the sixth.

Milligan's defense shined in the ballgame as the Buffs recorded double plays to end the fourth and fifth innings. Berry ran into a fence in foul territory to make a catch to end the sixth inning.

Casey Haire knocked a two-run single to bring Milligan's lead to 11-2 in the ninth. The Phoenix plated one run off Chance Hall to get to the final score of 11-3.

Starting pitcher Joe Ducharme turned in another strong midweek performance to pick up his second win in as many weeks. He allowed two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in eight innings of work. The Phoenix had scored at least eight runs in eight consecutive games heading into Tuesday's contest.

At the plate, Milligan notched 14 hits on the day. Berry went 3-4 with two runs scored, two RBI, a double and a walk. Lobo, Guzman, Haire, Spano and Steagall each had two hits. Lobo and Marello each scored twice, Guzman and Haire both had two runs batted in.

The Buffs host Kentucky Christian for a three-game Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) set this weekend. Friday's game against the Knights begins at 6:00 p.m.