BREVARD, N.C. (March 27, 2018) â€" The Milligan College softball team earned their fourth sweep of the 2018 season at NCAA DIII Brevard College Tuesday afternoon. Game one went to eight innings with the Buffs (12-10, 5-3 AAC) coming out on top 5-4 while game two was also won by Milligan 9-2.
GAME ONE | EARLY START, LATE RALLY
It only took freshman Neelee Griffith's first at bat to hit one out of the park all the while sending Cayley Shoemaker home to immediately put the Buffs at a two-run advantage in the first inning. With a scoreless second and third inning, Milligan pressed on to score two more runs in the fourth (4-0).
In the bottom of the sixth and seventh, Brevard rallied for four runs of their own, one in the sixth and three in the seventh, sending the game into an extra inning. Kaylee Frascatore scored the winning run for the Buffaloes due to an Erica Roller single to center field. Milligan defense alongside Kassi Butcher's pitching held the Tornadoes hitless and scoreless sealing their first win of the day (5-4).
GAME TWO | STRONG FINISH
Lead off junior Roller immediately tripled to right field while Madison Grindstaff sent her home with a sacrifice bunt in the top of the first. Nonetheless, in the bottom of the first Brevard connected for a triple to right center to send the Tornadoes' Sara Lallier home. Soon after, Ricki Kuhn pushed Brittan Miller home to put Brevard in the lead going into the third.
Kelsey Linn's double down the left field line sent Frascatore, Kirstan Beaver and Morgan Overholser home in the top of the second to put the Buffs in the lead for good (4-2). Grindstaff took advantage of the momentum with another double down the left field rewarding Linn with a run to home plate (5-2).
Despite a scoreless three innings for both teams, Frascatore came out in the top of the sixth with a homer to center field which sent Shoemaker home to put the Buffs at a five-run lead (7-2).
Freshman Karsten Miller's homer to left field while sending Taylor Begley home proved to put the game out of reach for the Tornadoes (9-2).
NUMBERS | GAME ONE
Shoemaker was given the win after pitching 4.1 innings allowing just three hits and one run. Jaclyn Jenkins, Brianna Synder and Kassi Butcher all pitched for the Buffs. Roller led all batters with a 3-for-4 effort.
NUMBERS | GAME TWO
Junior transfer Josie Milam earned her first win pitching six innings allowing six hits and two runs. Linn tallied three RBI's while Beaver went 2-for-3. Griffith and Frascatore connected for two RBI's apiece.
UP NEXT
The Buffs return to Anglin Field on Friday, March 30, for an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader against Bryan College beginning at 2 p.m. and another AAC doubleheader will be on Wednesday, April 2, as Milligan takes on Union College.
