Milligan Baseball Shares Friday AAC Twin-Bill Matchups with Pikeville

PIKEVILLE, Ky. — The (RV) Milligan University baseball squad played the opening two games of their Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) three-game set at the University of Pikeville Bears on Friday. Milligan fell to the Bears in the opening nine-inning contest of the day, while the Buffaloes took care of business in the latter seven-frame tilt.

Pikeville hit the scoreboard first with an RBI single to right field, putting them on top 1-0 until the fourth inning. 

The Buffs scored a run in the top of inning number four, as Nick Iezzi launched a solo homer to right to tie the score at 1-1.

In the sixth, the Buffaloes grabbed a momentary lead, scoring a tally on a Gaven Jones sacrifice fly, which brought in Iezzi. That edge was quickly erased, as UPIKE notched an RBI double to tie things at two apiece.

A Reagan Smith RBI single in the top of the eighth pushed Jones across to give MU a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately, the most prolific offensive inning of the day came in the bottom of the eighth for the Bears, as they scored three times on a two-run double and another RBI two-bagger, putting UPIKE up 5-3 for good.

Battle number two consisted of a slow start for both offenses, as the Buffaloes and Bears failed to score a run until the bottom of the third, as UPIKE struck first with an RBI infield single to make it 1-0 entering the fourth.

The Buffs broke the game open in the top of the fourth, scoring six times. They took advantage of shoddy defensive work by the Bears, as four of the six runs scored on errors or wild pitches. Josh Lail reached on an error by the Pikeville catcher, scoring Angel Lobo to start the frame. Then, Bryce Burkey reached base on an error by the UPIKE third baseman, as Iezzi came in to score on the play. Braxton Baird delivered the lone RBI-inducing hit of the inning, as Burkey and Jones scored on his triple to right field. Baird would then score on a wild pitch to close out the frame. The Buffaloes held a 6-1 lead after three-and-a-half.

Adding to that advantage in the top of the fifth, Milligan received an RBI single from Landon Lutterman to score Iezzi, making it a 7-1 game at that point. Pikeville snagged a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double, cutting that advantage to 7-2.

That is where the score would remain, as the Buffaloes evened up the series with a seven-inning triumph in the second matchup of the day, 7-2.

Baird's 4-for-7 day at the plate paced the squad, as he has gotten acclimated nicely to the leadoff spot in the batting order. He also had 2 RBIs and scored a run. Iezzi, Lail, Lobo, Jones and Smith also had two hits for the Buffaloes. Iezzi had an especially productive game in the first battle, whacking a double and a homer in the contest.

Milligan pitching afforded UPIKE five runs in the first battle of the day, as Canyon Geren started the matchup with six innings of two-run work. He allowed four hits and struck out eight while walking two. Jacob Poe came in in relief and was saddled with the loss, as he tossed two innings and gave up a trio of runs (two earned) on three hits. He racked up three strikeouts.

Jacob Bishop continues to pitch with confidence, for good reason, as he hurled five strong innings for the Buffs and moved to 5-0 with his victory. He allowed six hits and two runs while walking only one hitter and punching out seven. Drew Hoover came in to finish the final two frames and allowed just a single base hit and sat one man down on strikes to seal the triumph.

The three-game AAC set's finale on Saturday will be played at 12 p.m., as the Buffaloes are in search of a series win in the rubber match.