Baseball begins conference play with sweep

GRAYSON, Ky. (February 23, 2024) – The Milligan University baseball team opened Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play with a doubleheader sweep of Kentucky Christian on Friday afternoon. Milligan downed the Knights 18-5 in game one and 13-1 in game two.

The Buffs move to 12-3 on the season and 2-0 in league play. KCU falls to 8-2, 0-2.

Milligan racked up 31 runs with seven home runs, one triple and six doubles in the doubleheader.

Game 1 – Milligan 18, Kentucky Christian 5

The Buffs scored five runs in the second innings, led 11-4 through eight and exploded for seven more runs in the ninth to open their conference slate with a win.

Braden Spano, Jose Paula and Tank Hansen each went deep in the win. Speno went 4-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Paula and Hansen drove in three runs each. Spano punctuated Milligan's second-innign with a two-out two-run single while Paula and Hansen belted homers in the ninth. Andrew Mathias had three hits, a double and three runs scored.

Andrei Beal, Patrick Collins, Tai Lizdas and Vicente Mendoza combined to allow five runs (three earned) in the nine-inning contest. The staff notched 10 strikeouts as no pitcher allowed more than one earned run.

Game 2 – Milligan 13, Kentucky Christian 1 (7 innings)

The Buffs swatted four more home runs in game two. Agnel Lobo went deep in the third and fourth innings, Paula blasted his second home run in as many games in the third and Caleb Berry hit a solo shot in the fourth.

Lobo and Paula both had three hits in the game. Paula had a home run, two doubles and scored three times. Lobo had two homers, a double and drove in four runs. Mathias knocked in four runs.

Anfernee Fernandez notched a complete game win. He allowed one earned run on eight hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks.

The Buffs and Knights conclude their series tomorrow.