(RV) Milligan Baseball Earns AAC Sweep with Pair of Wins over Bryan

MILLIGAN, Tenn. – On Saturday, Milligan University's (RV) baseball squad finished off a three-game sweep of the Bryan College Lions on Anglin Field, riding more excellent pitching and timely hitting to a pair of Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) wins.

Things began in a slightly concerning fashion for the Buffs, who allowed the first three runs of the day in the top of the second inning on five straight hits by the Lions. Three RBI singles put Bryan up 3-0, and they would hold that lead for much of the contest.

The first run of the battle for the Buffaloes was tallied in the bottom of the fifth, when Bryce Safferwich provided a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Reagan Smith, making it a 3-1 MU deficit.

A two-run sixth would ensue for Milligan, as they nabbed another sac fly. This time it came from Gaven Jones, scoring Nick Iezzi, to make it 3-2. Smith then stepped to the plate and delivered a base hit on an 0-2 pitch to score Josh Lail, tying the score at 3-3.

Milligan would post yet another two runs in the seventh, as a run-scoring single from Lail pushed Miller Spence across, and Bryce Burkey scored Iezzi on a squeeze bunt to push the lead to two runs at 5-3.

Bryan would respond with one tally in the top of the eighth on a run-scoring single to left-center field, but that run would be erased in the bottom of the frame, when Cade Kalehuawehe smacked a two-run single through the left side of the infield to chase Safferwich and Braxton Baird across the dish. That is where the game ended, in a 7-4 Buffs victory.  

Half of Milligan's offensive output in the second tilt came in the very first inning, with Iezzi starting the party with a two-RBI double to left-center, driving in both Angel Lobo and Safferwich. Lail then singled to shortstop and brought home Kalehuawehe to push the lead to 3-0. A single by Jones scored Iezzi to set the score at 4-0, before Smith laced a run-scoring hit into left to drive in Lail and make it 5-0. Lastly, Baird hit an RBI double to score Jones, capping off a six-run outburst for the Buffaloes.

The Lions responded with two unearned runs in the top of the second to make it 6-2, but that would be all the offense they could muster. Milligan grabbed two in the bottom half on a wild pitch to score Lobo and an RBI groundout by Lail, scoring Iezzi. It was 8-2 after two full frames.

An RBI single by Lobo in the third made it 9-2, driving home Spence, while the rest of the game's scoring came in the bottom of the sixth. Jones hit a two-run double to score Lail and Iezzi, and Wyatt Heidle singled in Jones, leading to the eventual 12-2 triumph for the Buffs.

Milligan's 28 hits across 14 innings of offense led to some massive performances individually. Kalehuawehe had five hits in nine trips to the plate on the day, while Lobo went 4-for-9. Lail ended his day at 4-for-6 and Baird went 4-for-8. While four different players had at least four hits, two others had three. Jones (3-for-7) and Smith (3-for-7) each tallied a trio of knocks. Iezzi had two hits for Milligan, as well.

Spencer Rife tossed the first six innings of the first contest, allowing three earned runs on seven hits. He tallied three strikeouts and walked two hitters. He was replaced by Austin Maxey in the seventh, who finished the rest of the game with just one hit surrendered, along with an unearned run. He notched four strikeouts in those three frames to earn the win and go to 1-1 on the season.

Jacob Bishop tossed a complete game in the latter seven-inning matchup, allowing only five hits and two unearned runs. He had six strikeouts without issuing a free pass on the afternoon. He moved to 3-0 on the season with the triumph.

A midweek non-conference battle is up next for the Buffaloes, as they host the Pioneers of Spartanburg Methodist College at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 5 on Anglin Field.