Buffs sweep CIU on senior day

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (April 11, 2022) – The Milligan University softball team defeated Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) opponent Columbia International University twice in a doubleheader matchup on Monday afternoon. The Buffs won game one by a score of 9-3 and game two by a score of 2-0.

Milligan climbs to 23-10 (18-8 AAC) while CIU falls to 15-25-1 (6-13 AAC)

Game 1 – Milligan 9, CIU 3 

The Rams were the first team on the scoreboard as they pushed across two runs on three hits in the top of the second. The CIU leadoff batter began the inning with a single to right field before a two-out triple and single gave the Rams a 2-0 lead.

The Buffs answered with four runs on four hits in the home half of the second. Katie Pendleton leadoff the inning with a single through the left side of the infield before Neelee Griffith belted a two-RBI line-drive home run over the center field wall. Bailey Cantrell, in the next at-bat, drove a ball back up the middle for a base hit to center field.

With two outs, back-to-back walks loaded the bases for the Buffs as Katie Cronin delivered a two-RBI base hit in between the CIU first and second basemen to give Milligan a 4-2 lead.

Back-to-back singles from Hanna Taylor and Pendleton to start the bottom of the third gave the Buffs baserunners on first and second with no outs. Following a walk in the next at-bat, Milligan was in great position to score with the bases loaded and no outs. Alexis Brown came through with a one-out, two-RBI single to left field while McCoy Hensley singled in the following at bat to plate Griffith.

Katie Cronin reached first base on a bunt single in the bottom of the fourth, stole second base, and scored a run on a Taylor double to left field. The Buffs took an 8-2 lead into the fifth inning.

Both squads traded runs in the fifth and sixth as Milligan claimed the victory in game one 9-3.

Erin Forgety earned her 12th win of the year with an outing of six innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs in addition to punching out five.

Six Buffs had multiple hits in game one as Cronin led the way going four-for-four with two RBIs in the game-one performance. Griffith was the leader in the RBI category finishing with three for the game as well as two hits and two runs scored.

Game 2 – Milligan 2, CIU 0

Grace Jones led the bottom of the first off with a bunt single down the third-base line. April Alvarado then hit a hard groundball back to the mound in which the pitcher threw into center field on an attempted force-out throw to second base. Hanna Taylor then laced a two-RBI single to left center as that would be the only runs scored of the game.

A two-out walk followed by back-to-back singles in the bottom of the second from Cronin and Taylor saw the Buffs threatening to score a run but a pop-out to the infield ended the inning.

Cloee-Anna Merritt pitched a fantastic game throwing six and a third, surrendering just five hits, no earned runs while striking out two in her tenth win of the season. She allowed only two Rams baserunners in scoring position all day with back-to-back singles in the fourth and a double in the sixth.

Taylor led Milligan in both hits and RBIs on the day with two in each category. Jones and Alvarado scored runs for the Buffs in game two with Jones, Cronin and McCoy Hensley adding one to the hit column as well.

The Buffs will return to the diamond on Wednesday for a nonconference matchup with No. 15 Cumberlands at 3:00 p.m.