Kingsport, Tenn. (April 25, 2012) --- The Milligan College softball team fell 3-2 to Virginia Intermont in the winner's bracket of the 2012 Appalachian Athletic Conference Softball Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at Domtar Park in Kingsport, Tenn. The Buffaloes will play Bryan at 1 p.m., on Thursday in an elimination game.
 
   After the Lady Cobras stranded a runner at second in the opening frame, the Buffaloes put Brittany DiRobbio (Oviedo, Fla.) and Krista Lambdin (Knoxville, Tenn.) on base, but they were unable to score in the frame. Neither team was able to get anything in the second inning as the game remained scoreless after two innings of play. VI opened the scoring as they put two runs on the board in the top of the third.
 
   Milligan responded in the home side of the inning as Lambdin knocked Camille Olvey (Maryville, Tenn.) across home plate with a single, and then Emily Biggs (Kingsport, Tenn.) used a double to drive DiRobbio home to tie the game. In the next frame, VI put runners on the corners, but Chancli Connatser (Maryville, Tenn.) ended the side with a strikeout.
 
   Kelsey Simmons (Elizabethton, Tenn.) led off the bottom of the fourth with a hit. However, the Buffaloes were unable to the score the run. The Lady Cobras regained a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth, and the Buffaloes were unable to answer. VI loaded the bases to start the sixth, but Mackenzie Lilley (Kingsport, Tenn.) ended the side with a solo double play on a line drive to third.
 
   Milligan was unable to get a runner on the base in the bottom of the sixth, and then ended the top of the seventh with a double play. However, the Buffaloes were unable to rally as they were unable to tie the game in the bottom of the final inning.
 
   Connatser was handed the loss in the pitching circle. In a complete game effort, she gave up one earned run on eight hits with seven strikeouts. At the plate, Lambdin, DiRobbio and Simmons were 1-for-2. Biggs and Lambdin both recorded a RBI.
 
   With the loss, Milligan falls to 28-20 on the season.
 
   The Buffaloes look to stay alive in the tournament on Thursday, April 26, when they square off against Bryan in an elimination game with the winner of that matchup advancing to another elimination contest at 5 p.m. First pitch at Domtar Park in Kingsport, Tenn., is slated for 1 p.m.