MADISONVILLE, Tenn. (March 7, 2016) â€" After shutting out the Lady Tigers twice last season and winning twice by double digits, the Milligan College softball team did nearly the same thing this year, earning 16-0 and 11-1 victories over Hiwassee College on Monday afternoon.

Milligan (8-6) was led in the circle by Cayley Shoemaker (2-1) and Kassi Butcher (2-2), who both earned their second wins of the season. Shoemaker pitched four innings of two-hit softball in game one, combining with Kimberly Robinson for the five-inning shutout. Butcher took the game two win with her first-career complete game as a freshman, going six innings while allowing five hits and only one walk.

The Buffaloes' offense was paced by Ashley Arnold, who combined to go 5-for-6, and Jessica Connatser, who combined to go 4-for-8. Also in game one, Milligan belted out 17 hits with no strikeouts, and then drew seven walks in the finale.

Jessica Wheelock batted 4-for-4 with a double in the opener, while Natalie Sheffey was 2-for-4 with two doubles and Samantha Lilley was also 2-for-4. Shoemaker went from pitching in game one to batting 2-for-4 in game two, while Connatser also added a double.

Milligan kicks off Appalachian Athletic Conference action in a makeup game with Bryan College on Wednesday, March 9, with first pitch of the doubleheader set for 1 p.m. The game against the Lady Lions also marks the beginning of the Buffs' longest home stand of the season, a stretch featuring three more doubleheaders against North Greenville University on Thursday, March 10, Point University on Saturday, March 12, and Reinhardt University on Wednesday, March 16.