MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (March 31, 2018) â€" The Milligan College softball team battled hard to sweep Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Bryan College Saturday afternoon. The Buffs (14-10, 7-3 AAC) ultimately came out on top in game one 3-2 and again in game two 6-5. The Lions dropped to 9-25, 6-8 AAC.

GAME ONE (3-2)

Despite a couple of big hits by the Buffaloes and the Lions, both teams remained scoreless for the first three innings. However, in the bottom of the fourth, Bryan connected for another double and a single to center field which sent the Lions' Hannah O'Shields home for their first run of the inning. Soon after, Bryan scored on a passed ball.

Freshman Savannah Nocera blasted a single to left field to send Cayley Shoemaker home in the bottom of the fifth for Milligan's first run of the game. In the bottom of the sixth, fellow freshman pinch hitter Morgan Overholser blasted another single to center field sending freshman Morgan Grose and Kassi Butcher home to score the winning run for the Buffs (3-2).

GAME TWO (6-5)

Right off the bat Bryan connected for two hits and touched home twice. The Buffs responded with a hit and a run themselves in the bottom of the first after Erica Roller scored on a wild pitch. Despite a scoreless second inning, Milligan tallied three hits in the bottom of the third. Kirstan Beaver scored first for the Buffaloes on a Neelee Griffith single to shallow center. Kaylee Frascatore sent Roller home with a sacrifice fly to put Milligan at a one-run advantage (3-2).

Though the Buffs went on to score another run in the bottom of the fourth after a Beaver single to left field (4-2), the Lions came back out in the top of the fifth with two runs themselves to tie it up (4-4). Nonetheless, Overholser had another big hit sending Griffith home in the bottom of the fifth (5-4).

Bryan responded with a run in the top of the sixth to tie it back up (5-5). Griffith stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth blasting a single to shallow center to send Roller home for the winning run (6-5).

NUMBERS

Butcher was credited the win after pitching all seven innings in game one allowing just four hits. Butcher also led with two hits (2-for-3) alongside Nocera's two hits (2-for-2). Jaclyn Jenkins took the win in game two pitching 5.2 innings allowing six hits while Butcher was given the save after a hitless and scoreless seventh inning. Griffith led with two hits, two RBI's (2-for-3 effort) while Roller also led with two hits (2-for-4 effort).

UP NEXT

The Buffs will be back on the road for another AAC doubleheader at Bluefield College on Tuesday, April 3, at 1 p.m. Milligan will then return to Anglin Field on Wednesday, April 4, to face Union College at 2 p.m.