BEAUFORT, S.C. (Feb. 3, 2018) â€" Freshman starting pitcher Garrett Hartley picked up the win in a strong performance in his collegiate debut to help the Milligan College baseball team win the rubber game against USC Beaufort, 12-4, Saturday afternoon. After a split doubleheader on Friday, Milligan won the three-game series to start the 2018 season.
 
Hartley went 5.1 innings allowing five hits, four earned runs and two walks while striking out nine. Three Buffs saw action out of the bullpen, including Conor Cotton who went 2.1 scoreless innings allowing only one hit in relief.
 
EARLY LEAD
Chris Patterson, who homered in a 3-1 win in game one of the series, put the Buffs on top in the top half of the first inning with a triple to make it 2-0. Clayton Conner followed with a double in the next at-bat to make it 3-0 as Milligan jumped out to the early lead.
 
BEAUFORTs ANSWERS, MILLIGAN ANSWERS
USC Beaufort responded with a run in the bottom of the first followed by a two-run homer in the bottom of the third which tied the game at 3-3. However, Milligan had an answer of its own in the top of the fourth as the Buffs posted five runs on five hits to put the game out of reach at 8-3. Milligan then added a run in four of the next five innings to cushion the lead even further.
 
MILLIGAN'S BIG FOURTH INNING
The inning started with a single by Thomas Miller and followed later with three straight hits from Jascanel Ferreras, Patterson and Conner. Patterson's and Conner's hits went for extra bases and scored two apiece.
 
THE BOX SCORE
Six Buffs were in the hit column with multiple hits, led by Thomas who was 4-for-5. Patterson went 2-for-4 with two runs and five RBI's, and Conner was 2-for-6 with one run and three RBI's.
 
UP NEXT
Milligan hosts University of Rio Grande next Friday-Saturday, Feb. 9-10, in the Buffs' home opener. Teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader Friday at 3 p.m. followed by the series finale on Saturday at 1 p.m.