Buffs Softball Splits Pair of One-Run Affairs with Brenau

MILLIGAN, Tenn. – Anglin Field played host to an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) softball doubleheader between the Brenau University Golden Tigers and the Milligan University Buffaloes on Saturday afternoon. Two one-run ballgames would ensue, as Brenau took home the first win and the Buffs nabbed the game two result.

The Tigers got things moving early, scoring their first run of game one in the very first inning on an RBI single to center. That made it 1-0 on the visitors' favor.

Milligan would score next, as a two-run single into center field by Hannah Bates scored both Haley Vigil and Faith Caldwell. The knock gave MU a 2-1 advantage that they would hold for an inning-and-a-half. 

Brenau levied the final blow to the Buffaloes in the top of the sixth, when a two-run double down the right-field line made it 3-2.

Milligan got two runners on with two outs in the seventh, but a looking strikeout ended the battle with a 3-2 Buffs loss.

The Buffaloes started much quicker in the second matchup, scoring two times in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Jaylyn Halliburton scored Maggie Johnson and Ashley Worley on a two-RBI single to center.

A response came from the Golden Tigers in the top of the second, as they scored three times on an RBI single, a passed ball and a run-scoring triple, making it 3-2 for Brenau.

Two clutch at-bats from the Buffaloes in the bottom of the second built them a three-run edge after two full frames. A two-run single by Ma. Johnson, scoring Bree Presnell and Vigil, made it 4-3. Then, a two-RBI double to left field by Alexis Brown chased home Ma. Johnson and Worley to give the Buffs a 6-3 lead.

In the top of the fifth, Brenau posted a sacrifice fly to make it 6-4, but the Buffaloes countered it in the bottom half with an RBI base hit by Worley to left, scoring Bates. It was 7-4 after five.

The Tigers had an RBI single in the top of the sixth, as well as a fielder's choice with a throwing error in the seventh, to make it a one-run game. That would be the end of their rally, though, as a fly out to center ended the contest with the tying run at third base.

Bates went 4-for-6 on the day with two RBIs and a run scored to lead the way for the Buffaloes. Worley, Ma. Johnson, Mia Grasse, Halliburton, Brown and Vigil each supplied two hits to the team's efforts on the day.

Sadie Shoun had a nice start in the circle for Milligan in the opener, pitching the full contest and allowing only three runs on nine hits. She was tagged with the loss, however, while striking out three batters.

Presnell and Katelin Secrist combined to finish off game two, as Presnell tossed the first five frames and gave up four runs on nine hits to earn the win. Secrist allowed two unearned runs on three hits across the last two frames and tallied the save for Milligan, her first of the year.

Milligan is back at it on Sunday, as they will play a pair of non-conference tilts against the Pioneers of Spartanburg Methodist College on Anglin Field, starting at 2 p.m.