(RV) Milligan Baseball Wins Series at Pikeville with Run-Rule Performance

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Saturday's (RV) Milligan baseball rubber match against the University of Pikeville Bears got started an hour-and-a-half after its scheduled start time due to rain. That hiatus did not affect the Buffaloes, as they marched their way to a dominant 17-6 victory in seven frames to close out the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) series in run-rule style.

The offensive output for the Buffs came predominantly in two of the game's seven innings, the second and the third. However, UPIKE scored first with a two-spot in the bottom of the first. They smacked a two-out two-run double to lead 2-0 after one.

In the second, a fortunate series of events on the infield led to the Buffaloes' first run of the game. After Nick Iezzi reached first on an error, Tank Hansen hit an infield single and Reagan Smith bunted for a single, Jack Sutton hit an RBI infield single to score Iezzi and cut the deficit to just one. Then, Gaven Jones whacked a two-run single to left-center field to score Hansen and Smith. Later in the frame, Angel Lobo laced a single to left that scored both Jones and Braxton Baird to make it 5-2. Finally, Hansen hit his second single of the frame, this time a two-RBI shot, to bring in Miller Spence and Lobo. It was a 7-2 advantage after two full.

Milligan scored six more times in the top of the third, as Bryce Burkey delivered a two-RBI single to center, scoring both Jones and Sutton. Then, a two-run two-base hit by Cade Kalehuawehe brought in Baird and Burkey. Lastly, a Iezzi double to right scored both Spence and Lobo to make it 13-2 after three full frames.

Pikeville fought back a bit, starting in the fourth inning, as a three-run homer cut the deficit from 11 runs to just eight.

They continued to add on with a single tally in the fifth on a sacrifice fly to right field, making it 13-6.

Milligan struck back with a three-run top of the sixth, as Kalehuawehe ripped an RBI double which scored Jones to start the scoring. Then, Lobo hit a sac fly to center, bringing home Baird. An error by the UPIKE shortstop allowed Iezzi to reach, as Spence came in on the play.

Another run came in in the seventh for the Buffs on a bases-loaded walk by Kalehuawehe, driving in Sutton, which made it 17-6 as the final tally.

Milligan's starting lineup was on fire, as every batter had at least one hit in the bout. Jones and Hansen teamed up to go 6-for-9 at the dish with three hits apiece. They both had two RBIs. Kalehuawehe and Smith both had two hits, and Kalehuawehe drove in three runs in the battle. Overall, the team drove in 16 of their 17 runs and had 15 hits in the contest.

The pitching staff for Milligan helped the squad notch the series win, as Spencer Rife moved to 4-0 on the year with a five-inning performance. He allowed nine hits and six earned runs in the game but struck out three and walked a pair. Both Creed Werker and Austin Maxey tossed scoreless single innings in the sixth and seventh to seal the win.

After an AAC series win, the Buffaloes will look ahead to Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Williamsburg, Ky., when they face off with the No. 5-ranked Patriots of University of the Cumberlands.