Baseball splits with Point in home finale

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (April 15, 2023) – The Milligan University baseball split an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) doubleheader against Point in the Buffs' home finale at Anglin Field on Saturday afternoon. The Buffs honored 17 seniors and graduates after the games.

Point entered the doubleheader a game ahead of the Buffs in the conference standings and kept its one-game edge with the doubleheader split. Milligan is now 26-15 on the season and 11-12 in the AAC. Point moves to 19-17-1, 12-11 AAC.

Game 1 – Point 6, Milligan 4 (12 innings)

The Buffs seemingly won the first game of the doubleheader as the Buffs entered the frame trailing 4-3. Caleb Berry singled home Kobe Miles to tie the game at four. After a lineout and intentional walk to load the bases, Brandon Marello hit a soft ground ball to Point's shortstop. The throw to first base went awry and the Buffs celebrated a 5-4 victory.

The umpires took Marello's bat to examine and determined that there was some sort of bat infraction and ruled him out after a lengthy delay that saw the umpires exit the field for over 15 minutes. Upon returning, the game resumed with the scored tied at four in the top of the 10th inning.

Vince LaConte worked scoreless 10th and 11th innings but the Buffs were unable to bring home the winning run. In the 12th, Point's Jhamante Woods blasted a two-run homer over the right field fence for what ultimately was the game-winning runs as the Skyhawks took a 6-4 12-inning victory.

Until the final inning, neither team led by more than a single run at any point in the ballgame.

Berry had three hits. Casey Haire drove in a pair of runs and Marello hit a solo home run in the fourth inning.

Jimmy Gamboa started the game and gave up three unearned runs in 4.2 innings. Austin Maxey allowed one run in 2.1 innings. Chance Hall struck out four in two scoreless innings.

Game 2 – Milligan 4, Point 3 (7 innings)

Creed Werker held the Skyhawks off the scoreboard for the first five innings as the Buffs opened up a 4-0 lead.

Miles scored on a mishandled ball after a base hit by Angel Lobo. Berry jacked a home run down the left field line to plate Lobo and give the Buffs a 3-0 lead. Ryan Molinari belted a solo home run in the fourth to grow Milligan's edge to 4-0.

Milligan turned a double play in the fifth to neutralize a leadoff single. The Skyhawks got on the board in the sixth with a two-out RBI single. Point then loaded the bases before Werker got a lineout to end the inning.

Point scored a pair of runs and had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the seventh inning but Canyon Geren struck out the final batter to clinch the victory.

Berry, Braden Spano and Logan Hullette had two hits apiece and all three of them had a double. Berry swatted his ninth home run of the season and Molinari hit his first.

Werker earned the win after allowed one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Geren had two strikeouts in the final inning.

The Buffs return to action next weekend with a three-game series at Truett McConnell.