Buffs’ bats quieted in AAC doubleheader against Truett McConnell

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (April 20, 2022) – The Milligan University softball team wrapped up its regular season with a pair of 5-0 defeats against Truett McConnell at Anglin Field on Wednesday afternoon.

Milligan closes the regular season with a 23-13 record and 18-10 mark in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play. Truett McConnell rose to 27-22, 20-8 AAC.

Game 1 – Truett McConnel 5, Milligan 0

Game one was scoreless for the first four innings of play as Erin Forgety and Kyleigh Sanders kept both opposing lineups at bay.

A leadoff triple by Grace Jones immediately put a runner in scoring position for the Buffs. A couple of lengthy at bats resulted in a pop out, foul out and strikeout as Jones was stranded 60 feet away.

Truett McConnell's best early scoring opportunity came in the top of the second as a single, bunt single and walk loaded the bases with two outs for the Bears. Forgety coaxed the next batter into a flyout to left field to end the frame.

Milligan ended the visitors' half of the third and fourth innings with double plays. The third ended with a 6-4-3 double play and an infield fly and tag-out ended the fourth.

After the three-base error to begin the bottom of the first inning, TMU pitcher Kyleigh Sanders retired nine-straight batters before April Alvarado led off the bottom of the fourth with a base hit. She advanced to third with two outs, but was left on base.

TMU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth as a bunt single was followed by a two-run homer by the Bears' Briley Lawson. Lawson blasted another two-run shot in the seventh to grow the TMU lead to 4-0. An RBI double pushed the Bears' advantage to 5-0 going into the final half inning.

Milligan went down in order in the seventh as Sanders wrapped up a complete game two-hit shutout for TMU. Alvarado had two of the Buffs' three hits in the game.

Game 2 – Truett McConnell 5, Milligan 0

TMU used three hits and two walks to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game two. The Bears tacked on another run with an RBI double in the third to lead 3-0.

The Buffs had two singles and a walk in the fourth but came up empty as the Buffs ran into an out at second base trying to advance on a throw home and struck out with runners on first and third to end the inning.

Truett McConnell scratched across another run in the fifth as a single, passed ball and pair of runner-advancing groundouts gave the Bears a 4-0 edge.

A hit and walk gave the Buffs two baserunners with two outs in the sixth, but the next batter fouled out to right field to end the inning. TMU tacked on an unearned run in the seventh to grow its lead to 5-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, Kate Pendleton, Alvarado and Jones all smacked base hits. Jones' single to center gave Pendleton an opportunity to score from second, but a great throw from the TMU center fielder cut down Pendleton attempting to score. A force out at second ended the game.

Milligan outhit TMU 9-8 with Alvarado, Jones and Pendleton all notching multi-hit games. Kendyl McCollister allowed two unearned runs over the final four innings.

Milligan closes the regular season in sixth place in the AAC standings. The Buffs will open the AAC Tournament at the Brickyard Ball Fields in Kingsport next Tuesday.