MU Softball Settles for Split against Union Commonwealth on the Road

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – After a week-long break from Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) contests, the Milligan softball program drove north to Barbourville, Ky., where they faced off with the Union Commonwealth University Bulldogs in a pair of bouts. RESULTS

The Buffaloes started the battle with an encouraging top of the first, scoring twice against the Bulldogs. An Ashley Worley triple drove in Maggie Johnson, as the top two hitters combined to bring home the game's first run. Alana Parsons then sent Worley home with a sacrifice fly to give MU an early 2-0 edge. Union would counter with a single run in the bottom of the first, making it 2-1 on an RBI single.

Milligan was held off the board in the second, but the Bulldogs would take their first lead of the contest, notching a two-run single to take a 3-2 advantage to the third inning.

Then, the hosts would extend the lead to 4-2 on a solo homer in the bottom of the third, as the Buffs' offense was dormant in the second and third frames.

After a scoreless fourth for both sides, MU returned to the scoreboard with an RBI single by Parsons to score Ma. Johnson. Then, a groundout by Alexis Brown brought in Worley from third to tie the score at four apiece.

Milligan added another pair in the top of the sixth, as Jaylyn Halliburton tallied a go-ahead run-scoring single, driving in Haley Vigil. Additionally, Ma. Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Mia Grasse, putting the Buffaloes' lead at 6-4.

The Buffs wrapped the game up with a bow on top in the seventh, as they tallied a run-scoring knock by Brown to score Parsons, as well as an RBI single by Halliburton to score Brown.

Union Commonwealth failed to scored a run in any of their last four trips to the plate, as the Buffs pulled out the victory in the opener, 8-4.

Game two was simply not as successful, as UCU picked up four runs in the very first inning to take a 4-0 lead.

Milligan would get one back in the top of the second, as Mollie Johnson whacked a single to Chase Vigil across the plate, making it 4-1. The Bulldogs scored three times, however, in the bottom of the second to extend their edge to 7-1.

They then added on two more in the bottom of the third to lead 9-1 after three full stanzas.

Two runs scored by the Buffaloes in the top of the fourth came via a sacrifice fly by Jordan Roulettwheeler to score Parsons, as well as a Ma. Johnson RBI double, scoring Wheatley York. However, a two-run homer by Union erased those runs in the bottom half, making it 11-3.

One Milligan run came in to score in the top of the fifth, as Stephanie Steele singled home Grasse to make it 11-4. A solo bomb by UCU in the bottom of the fifth would end the game via run rule, as they took the latter half of the twin bill, 12-4.

Worley led the team with a combined four hits on the day. She also provided an RBI and two runs scored, as well as two stolen bases. Brown, Parsons and Halliburton each had three hits and combined for six RBIs. There were no other players with multiple hits across the two games.

Game one was pitched by Bree Presnell (2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB) and Sadie Shoun (5 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, K), as Shoun earned the win with a steady performance in the circle.

For game two, Milligan's staff was not as effective, as Faith Caldwell (0.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H), Katelin Secrist (2 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 2 BB) and Roulettwheeler (2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H) combined to finish the game in the loss.

Next up is another conference doubleheader in Pikeville, Ky. on Saturday, Mar. 15 starting at 1 p.m. against the University of Pikeville Bears.