MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TENN. (April 13, 2016) â€" Down 9-4 with two out in the bottom of the seventh, the Milligan College softball team strung together a run of eight straight batters reaching base on six hits and three consecutive RBI doubles to stun Union College 10-9 in game one. The Buffaloes would use the momentum to run away in game two in five innings, 8-0, Wednesday on Anglin Softball Field.
 
Junior Kimberly Robinson had the game-winning at bat in game one, smashing a ball through the legs of the Union shortstop to score Natalie Sheffey, and then hit a two-run, two-out double to deep right-center to get the Buffs off to a good start in game two with a 2-0 lead after one inning.
 
Rachel Coffey followed Robinson's lead with a two-run double of her own in the bottom of the second in game two to score Ashley Arnold and Caroline Testerman, and then scored later herself on an RBI-groundout by Cayley Shoemaker to make it 5-0 Buffs.
 
Milligan would go on to close out game two early with a run in the fourth inning on an RBI-single by Jenna Gilbert and two runs in the fifth on RBI-singles by Testerman and Jessica Wheelock, the latter coming with a full count, one out and the bases loaded.
 
In the opener, Union answered a two-run home run by Sheffey in the bottom of the sixth with a two run shot of its own in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs second homer of the game, to set up the thrilling conclusion.  After the first two Buffs both struck out swinging in the final half inning, Kassi Butcher singled through the hole at short, and was followed by a walk to Shoemaker.
 
Freshman Kelsey Linn then hit a first-pitch single to center to score a run, and then with two strikes, Wheelock got the streak of doubles started with a shot to left field to score two more runs and cut Union's lead to 9-7. Back-to-back doubles by Gilbert and Sheffey each brought in another run to tie the game, bringing Robinson to the plate for the game winner.
 
Butcher (6-4) was strong in the circle in game one, earning the second complete game of her freshman season with three-hit, no-run and no-walk softball under her belt. Shoemaker (4-1) received the game one win by pitching the seventh inning as the Bulldogs crossed the plate in each of the last four innings, but did not pull away far enough.
 
As the Buffs belted out 12 hits in both games, they were led by Sheffey's 4-for-8 combined effort with four RBI's and three runs scored on the day. Gilbert was a combined 3-for-5 with three RBI's, two runs and two walks, and Butcher was a combined 3-for-4.
 
Additionally, Testerman was 3-for-3 with two RBI's, a run and a stolen base in game two, while Coffey added a 2-for-2 effort in the same game with two RBI's, a run and a walk. Wheelock was 2-for-4 with two RBI's, a run, a walk and a steal in game one, while Jessica Goodson, the starting pitcher, was 2-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI and a double of her own.
 
Milligan raised its record to 23-11 overall and 11-5 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference as it used its game one win to move back up to third place in the conference standings based on winning percentage. Each of the last four doubleheaders between Milligan and Union (26-21, 6-8) have been sweeps, with the first two and now the most recent in favor of the Buffs. Additionally, the losses ended the Bulldogs streak of six straight splits overall and six splits in six conference doubleheaders.
 
Next up, Milligan remains at Anglin Field to wrap up it home conference season with a doubleheader against No. 16 Reinhardt University on Friday, April 15. First pitch for game one will be at 2 p.m. as the Buffs battle to take down the AAC leader.