Softball walks-off against Lawrence Tech for first win

COLUMBUS, Ga. ( February 18, 2024) – Mia Grassee delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Milligan University softball team to a 1-0 win over Lawrence Tech at the NAIA Leadoff Classic on Sunday morning.

The Buffs pick up their first win of the 2024 and now sit at 1-4 on the year. Lawrence Tech falls to 4-5.

Milligan starting pitcher Bree Presnell earned a complete game shutout victory as she kept the Blue Devils off the scoreboard despite four hits and six walks.

Lawrence Tech put two runners on with one out in the third inning before Presnell coaxed a popout and a ground ball to end the inning. The Buffs had runners on second and third with two outs in the fourth but came up empty.

Both teams smacked leadoff doubles in the sixth and came up empty. Larence Tech hit into a double play and left runners at the corners. Milligan had runners and second and third with one out but could not break through.

The Blue Devils loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh before a pair of infield lineouts and flyout closed the frame.

The international tiebreaker came into effect in the eighth inning. Lawrence Tech offered a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to third. A ground ball back to Presnell turned into the second out and a strikeout ended the half-inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Hadley York bunted pinch runner Sadie Shoun third. With two outs Grassee knocked a base hit to right field to plate the game's winning run.

Morgan Lawson and Alana Parsons each had a double in the ballgame.

The Buffs take on Carolina in their home opener at Anglin Field on Wednesday.