MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (March 4, 2017) â€" The Milligan College baseball team wrapped up its first Appalachian Athletic Conference series of the season on Saturday. Despite taking game one on Friday against the Truett-McConnell Bears, the Buffaloes dropped the series by losing games two and three 6-0 and 6-4 respectively.
 
Milligan (6-11, 1-2 AAC) struggled on the offensive side of things in game one. In the top of the second, the Buffaloes gave themselves a chance to score and take an early lead. Clayton Conner took a walk to start the inning and three batters later, advanced to third off of a single from Andrew Copas. However, Truett-McConnell's starting pitcher Gregory Elder recorded his one of his 14 strikeouts to end the Milligan threat. The Bears responded in the top of the third with a leadoff home run and led the remainder of the way, going on to win 6-0.
 
Game two was much closer than game one despite a rocky start. In the top of the second, the Bears scored four runs behind a pair of singles and a double to take a 4-0 lead. The Buffs responded in the bottom of the second with their first runs of the day. With runners on second and third, Chris Patterson doubled to deep right center to drive in the first Milligan run. During the next at-bat, Copas drove in two runs with a single up the middle and the Buffs only trailed by one.
 
The Bears added to their lead with two more runs in the top of the third to keep the Buffs at bay. Austin Thomas drove in a pair of runs with a single to deep right and extended the Bears' lead to three. Milligan would get one run back in the bottom of the fifth, when Copas scored on a fielder's choice.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, trailing 6-4 and down to their last out, the Buffs had a runner on third and the potential game-tying run on first. However, Truett-McConnell starter Chris Carden completed the game and closed the game out with a strikeout.
 
The Buffs return to action for a two game series against nonconference opponent Fisher College at home on Monday and Tuesday March 6 and 7.