Pulaski, Tenn. (March 23, 2013) --- The Milligan College baseball team split a pair of nonconference games on Saturday with Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tenn. The Buffaloes saw the Red Hawks take a walk off 3-2 victory in the first game, but Milligan erased an early deficit to take a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.
 
   The first game saw the Buffaloes open the scoring in the top of the first inning. Corey McPherson (Johnson City, Tenn.) led off the inning with a single, and then scored on a Brandon Malone (Maryville, Tenn.) sacrifice fly. Tyree Jefferies (Jackson, Tenn.) used a RBI single to drive Sam Tarlton (Chuckey, Tenn.) across home plate to give Milligan an early 2-0 lead. However, the Red Hawks answered with a run in the home side of the inning.
 
   After neither team could score in the second and third innings, Hunter Carpenter (Sneedville, Tenn.) started the fourth inning off with a double, but Milligan was unable to bring the run home. Martin Methodist tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. The Red Hawks captured the game in the bottom of the seventh as they scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly.
 
   On the mound, Ethan Fleenor (Johnson City, Tenn.) was handed the loss in a complete game effort as he allowed three runs on seven hits. Jackson led the way at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, and Luke Kirk (Gate City, Va.) was 1-for-1.
 
   After rain forced a two-hour delay to the start of the second game, Milligan struck quickly as McPherson had a leadoff double, and then scored on a Martin Methodist balk in the first inning. However, the Red Hawks tied the game in the bottom of the first with a run of their own. Martin Methodist extended their advantage to 3-1 in the home side of the third inning.
 
   The Buffaloes battled back in the fourth inning as Jefferies, Malone and Kirk crossed home plate. Milligan extended their lead in the fifth inning as Malone scored on a Brett Mercurio (West Palm Beach, Fla.) triple, and Nathan Millsap (Kingsport, Tenn.) drove Mercurio across home plate to give the Buffaloes a 6-3 lead after five innings of play. The Milligan defense used a 6-4-3 double play to end the sixth inning, and kept the Red Hawks off the bases in the final inning to secure the win.
 
   Mercurio, Millsap and Malone all ended the game 2-for-4 at the plate, while Tarlton ended the game 1-for-3.
 
   Brett Whittington (North Wilkesboro, N.C.) picked up the win on the mound. In six innings of work, Whittington allowed just three earned runs on six hits.
 
   Milligan moves to 12-15 overall.
 
   The Buffaloes and Red Hawks are scheduled to close out the three-game series on Sunday, March 24, with a nine-inning game. First pitch in Pulaski, Tenn., is set for 1 p.m.