Big Innings for KCU Doom MU Softball in AAC Doubleheader Losses

GRAYSON, Ky. – On Saturday afternoon, the Milligan University softball squad was on the road in Grayson, Ky. to face off with Kentucky Christian University in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) doubleheader. After an up-and-down 12-8 loss in game one, the Buffs couldn't get the offense moving in the latter tilt, falling 7-3.

The opener started well, as the Buffaloes put forth a run on the top of the first on an infield single by Alexis Brown that drove home Alana Parsons.

Kentucky Christian, however, matched that and then some in the bottom of the first. They tallied seven runs on a fielder's choice, an RBI single, a two-run double and a subsequent three-RBI two-base hit. It was 7-1 after one full frame.

Milligan would chip away with a pair of tallies in the top of the second, as RBI singles by Mollie Johnson and Ashley Worley scored Mia Grasse and Hadley York, respectively, making it a 7-3 deficit.

Another run would come in for the Buffaloes in the top of the third via a Morgan Lawson RBI single, bringing Brown home, and cutting the KCU lead to just three at 7-4.

Milligan's half of the fourth resulted in a tie contest, as a run-scoring single by Worley chased Maggie Johnson in to make it 7-5. Then, with Worley aboard, Parsons lifted a two-run round-tripper out of the yard to knot the tally at 7-7.

A total of seven unanswered runs were scored by the Buffs, as Mo. Johnson scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth to make it an 8-7 lead for Milligan, which was their first since the first inning.

The seesaw affair would end in unceremonious fashion for Milligan, as they allowed five runs to the Knights in the bottom of the fifth. That outburst would make the final tally 12-8 in the host's favor, as KCU took game one.

Matchup number two began in the Buffaloes' favor, as Worley rapped a two-run single to left in the top of inning number two, scoring Stephanie Steele and Brown to make it 2-0.

KCU got on of those runs back in the bottom of the second on an RBI single to right field.

They then dealt a considerable blow to Milligan's chances with a five-run bottom of the fourth, where they took a 6-2 lead on an RBI single, two runs-scoring fielder's choices and a two-run base knock.

An RBI groundout by KCU in the sixth made it 7-2, while the Buffs struggled to do much else offensively, getting just one more run in the game on a solo bomb by Parsons. With that, Milligan fell 7-3.

The two losses were not from a lack of production with the bats, as Parsons led they way with a 5-for-8 showing at the dish with two homers and a trio of runs batted in. Worley went 3-for-5, Brown went 2-for-3 and Ma. Johnson was 2-for-7. 

Sadie Shoun went a complete game in the first tilt, as two innings came back to bite her. She allowed seven runs in the first and five in the bottom of the fifth in the loss, her fourth of the year.

Bree Presnell was moving right along in game two until the bottom of the fourth, when defensive plays were not made by the Buffaloes, including two RBI fielder's choices. She also pitched the full game and was tabbed with the loss.

Another road trip is ahead of the Buffaloes, as they dropped to 11-13 in the AAC on Saturday. They next will play at NCAA Division II Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tenn. on Monday, Apr. 14, with the doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.