MARS HILL, N.C. (Feb. 18, 2018) â€" The Milligan College softball team continued their 2018 campaign on the road Sunday to Mars Hill University, a NCAA DII program, for a doubleheader on Sunday. The Buffs dropped game one in the final inning, 5-4, and game two in five innings, 12-2.
 
EARLY LEAD (GAME 1)
Up until the sixth inning the Buffs were the only team with runs on the scoreboard. In the top of the third, junior Madison Grindstaff singled down the right field line driving fellow junior Eric Roller in for the first run of the game.
 
Fastforward one more inning and senior Rachel Coffey blasted a homer to left center putting the Buffs at a 2-0 advantage. Freshman Kaylee Frascatore fed off Coffey's home run in the top of the sixth with a homer herself to right field sending senior Jenna Gilbert home to round out Milligan's scoring column (4-0).
 
THE LIONS' RALLY | A LATE DEFEAT (GAME 1)
Mars Hill had a response in the bottom of the sixth that completely changed the game. The Lions' Ragan Broome stepped up to the plate only to answer Milligan's two homers with a homer herself to right field. In the same inning, Mars Hill's Kayleigh Jonas reached first base on a fielder's choice enabling teammate Danielle Harris to score the second run of the inning.
 
After two more RBI's by the Lions in the bottom of the sixth, the game was at four apiece going into the seventh. Mars Hill's Christina Marasa's single to right center sent the Lions' Kristina Romine home after she reached first base on an error. Romine's unearned run sealed the Lions' first victory of their season.
 
TWO MORE EARLY BUFF HOMERS (GAME 2)
Freshman Neelee Griffith rose to the occasion after a heartbreaking loss. At the top of the first, Griffith homered to center field. Mars Hill's Romine answered with a homer in the bottom of the first, this time to right field tying the game 1-1.
 
At top of the second, senior Cayley Shoemaker snowballed on top of Griffith's homer to center field with another home run to center field to put the Buffs up by one. Nonetheless, Mars Hill got the bats cracking and it was only up from there for the Lions. Mars Hill scored five runs in the third and tallied two more homers in the fourth and fifth innings to secure their sweep against the Buffs, 12-2.
 
UP NEXT
The Buffs return home for the first time this season for a doubleheader against Glenville State College on Saturday, Feb. 24, starting at 3 p.m.