Hot start keeps rolling with sweep at KCU
Katie Cronin went 7-for-8 with three runs and five RBI’s, and Milligan University’s softball team continued its early-season dominance with a pair of run-ruled wins, 9-0 and 12-1, over Kentucky Christian University Sunday in the Buffs’ Appalachian Athletic Conference opener.
GRAYSON, Ky. (March 7, 2021) – Katie Cronin went 7-for-8 with three runs and five RBI's, and Milligan University's softball team continued its early-season dominance with a pair of run-ruled wins, 9-0 and 12-1, over Kentucky Christian University Sunday in the Buffs' Appalachian Athletic Conference opener.
Erin Forgety was part of a one-hit shutout in game one before Cloee-Anna Merritt and Kesney Brown combined to allow only four hits and one run in game two.
Milligan won for the fifth straight time to improve to 7-1 (2-0 AAC).
Game One | Milligan 9, Kentucky Christian 0
Lainey Mays came home to score on an error in the top of the first inning of game one, and the Buffs never looked back. Needing only the one run, Forgety, Kendyl McCollister and Kara Weems combined for a one-hit shutout, Forgety striking out five over the first four innings and allowing only one baserunner, via a walk.
Milligan opened the game up in the third inning with a Neelee Griffith two-run homer and Karsten Miller two-run double which made it a 5-0 game through three. The Buffaloes got two more runs in the fourth via KCU errors, then Kate Pendleton rounded out the scoring in the sixth with a two-run homer of her own.
Katie Cronin was perfect in the first game with four singles while Miller went 3-for-4 with two RBI's. Mays scored three runs.
Game Two | Milligan 12, Kentucky Christian 1
The Buffaloes were quick to put game two out of reach. Hits from Cronin, Griffith and April Alvarado helped push three runs across in the top of the first, then Cronin hit a two-RBI single and Alvarado hit a two-RBI double in the second to make it 7-0.
Mays, Lindsey Slagle, and Cronin drove runs home with three straight hits in the third as Milligan pushed the lead to 11-0. Cronin's hit came in the form of a two-run double.
Inside the circle, Merritt went the first three innings with four hits, one run, two walks and two strikeouts. Brown closed the door on the last two innings allowing only one base runner via a walk.
Series numbers
Cronin's five RBI's and seven hits in eight at-bats led the Buffaloes while Griffith went 4-for-7 with three runs and two RBI's. Alvarado, Miller and Mays all recorded three hits. Mays scored six times.
Milligan's pitching staff combined for a 0.64 earned run average and allowed only five hits. They struck out nine and limited Kentucky Christian to a .139 batting average.
Up next
Milligan hosts Bluefield Tuesday at 3 p.m. in a doubleheader on Anglin Field.