All-Around Efforts Lead to Sweep of Lindsey Wilson for (RV) Buffs Baseball

MILLIGAN, Tenn. – On Friday afternoon, the (RV) Milligan University baseball squad faced off with a foe that they were not originally scheduled to play against for two non-conference tilts. The Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders traveled to Milligan for a nine-and-seven inning doubleheader, after the Buffs' previous series scheduled with St. Ambrose was cancelled due to travel limitations for the weekend. The Buffaloes overcame the uncertainty by winning a pair of contests against the Blue Raiders on Anglin Field.

Milligan jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third, as Angel Lobo hit a run-scoring double to left center, driving home Reagan Smith. Then, a Bryce Safferwich single up the middle brought Lobo to the plate, making it a two-run Buffs lead.

A Tank Hansen two-run single in the bottom of the sixth made it a 4-0 lead for MU as the game headed into its final third.

Safferwich had another RBI in the top of the seventh on a double down the left-field line, chasing home Gaven Jones. That was followed by a run-scoring double by Josh Lail into the left-center gap to drive in Safferwich. Finally, Hansen reached on an error by the Blue Raiders' third baseman, which allowed Miller Spence to score to give MU a 7-0 lead.

LWC scored their lone run of the game in the top of the eighth, as a double down the right-field line made it 7-1, which ended up as the final score in Milligan's victorious game-one effort.

The second game began in a slightly different fashion, as a solo homer and a RBI single in the top of the first equaled a pair of runs scored by the Blue Raiders to open the contest.

As the game entered the bottom of the second, the Buffaloes trailed 2-0, but they picked up four tallies in the inning, starting with a passed ball to allow Lail to come in to score. Bryce Burkey then hit an RBI infield single to second that drove in Nick Iezzi to tie things at 2-2. The big blow in the frame was a two-run triple to right by Lobo, who brought in Andrew Beavers and Burkey with the extra-base hit.

A single run was scored by Milligan in the bottom of the third to increase their lead to 5-2 on a groundout by Burkey that sent Safferwich home to score.

Lindsey Wilson scored once more in the top of the fifth on a wild pitch, but were unable to do anything else, suffering another defeat at the hands of the Buffaloes.

Lobo posted a 3-for-6 day at the plate, driving in three runs with a triple and a double on the day. Safferwich also had three hits and increased his team-best RBI total to 11 as the first Buff this year to cross the 10-RBI mark. Lail and Cade Kalehuawehe were the only two otherhitters with multiple knocks. Hansen did post three RBIs on the day.

The pitching was strong for the Buffaloes, as has been the case on most days this year. Canyon Geren started game one and tossed five innings of shutout ball on four hits with nine strikeouts, but he was plagued slightly by five walks. Jacob Bishop then hurled the last four innings, affording the Blue Raiders seven hits and one run, while striking out three and walking a pair. Geren earned the win for his efforts.

Spencer Rife settled in after a tough first inning to get the win against LWC, tossing five innings and giving up three runs on seven hits. He had three strikeouts without a walk in the contest. Austin Maxey's two innings to shut the door included one hit allowed and one walk with a couple of strikeouts to earn the save.

A tough test sits on the near horizon for Milligan, as they prepare to face off with the No. 5-ranked Patriots of University of the Cumberlands on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. on Anglin Field. The Buffaloes will be in search of a statement triumph in that bout.