Softball trades one-run wins with Point

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (April 2, 2022) – The Milligan University softball team split a Saturday afternoon doubleheader against Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) foe Point at Anglin Field. The Buffs won 6-5 and fell 5-4 in Milligan's first day of competition after the tragic death of cross country/track runner Eli Cramer.

Milligan moves to 19-10 overall and 14-8 in league play. Point's record now stands at 24-14, 14-6 AAC.

Game 1 – Milligan 6, Point 5

The Buffs got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first as Grace Jones reached with a bunt single, advanced to third on a two base sacrifice bunt and came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Katie Cronin. The Skyhawks tied the game in the next half inning with a solo home run over the fence in left-center.

Point took a 5-1 lead after the top of a third as a leadoff double turned into a run and the Skyhawks' Taylor Knight blasted her second homer of the day, this one a three-run shot.

Jones led off the bottom of the third with a triple to right field and scored on a base hit by April Alvarado. Alvarado scored on a two-out single by Kate Pendleton to trim the Buffs' deficit to 5-3.

Milligan pitcher Erin Forgety settled in and retired Point 1-2-3 in the fourth and fifth innings to keep the Buffs within two runs. In the bottom of the fifth, Cronin drove in Alvarado with a double into left-center to make it a 5-4 ballgame but was stranded on third base.

Forgety struck out a pinch hitter with two outs and two on in the sixth. In the bottom of the frame, Bailey Cantrell led of the inning with a double. After a walk and force out at third base, Jones scored pinch runner Hadley York on a sacrifice fly. Alvardo's line drive into left field was dropped and allowed McCoy Hensley to score the go-ahead run.

Forgety sat down three-straight batters in the seventh to secure the 6-5 game one win.

Jones, Alvarado and Cantrell had two hits apiece. Jones and Alvarado each scored twice and Cronin drove in a pair.

Game 2 – Point 5, Milligan 4

Milligan struck first in game two with Tayor driving in Alvarado with a two-out single to give the Buffs a 1-0 advantage after one inning.

The Skyhawks loaded the bases and tied the game at one with a bang-bang force play at the plate going to a Point runner. Point left the bases loaded as a force at home and at third stranded three runners and kept the game tied at one.

A hit, intentional walk and hit turned into a run for the Skyhawks in the third. Cloee-Anna Merritt left runners stranded on second and third with a grounder to first base to close the inning.

The Buffs left the bases loaded in the third and Point stranded a pair of runners in the fourth as Point clung to its 2-1 advantage.

In the fifth, Point quickly loaded the bases with an intentional walk, single and error. A fielder's choice brought home a run and a bloop single added another to give the visitors a 4-1 edge.

Alvarado, Cronin and Taylor each smacked two-out singles in the bottom of the fifth to load the bases. Pendleton battled through an extended at bat but flew out to the Point left fielder in foul territory.

The Skyhawks added an unearned run in the seventh to lead 5-1.

The Buffs put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh and even put the tying run on base. Jones doubled in Hensley and Cronin swatted a two-run home run to right center to make it a one-run game (5-4). A walk by Taylor and infield single by Cantrell put the tying and winning runs on base, but a foul out ended the rally.

Cronin went 3-4 with a homer, two RBI and one run scored. Jones had two hits, a double, RBI and run score. Taylor was 2-2 with two walks and one RBI.

Milligan travels to Bluefield on Monday