MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (March 18, 2018) â€" Junior Erica Roller's grand slam in game one of an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader against Reinhardt University highlighted the split series on Wednesday afternoon at Anglin Field. The Buffs (21-15, 14-8 AAC) won game one in six innings 11-2 and the Eagles (27-23, 17-7 AAC) took game two 12-5.
GAME ONE | BUFFS' LATE RALLY
For three and a half innings both teams remained scoreless while the Eagles connected for four hits and the Buffs earned two. However, Roller's grand slam over the left field fence in the bottom of the fourth inning sparked Milligan's late rally to secure game one. Soon after Roller scored Jenna Gilbert, Rachel Coffey and Savannah Nocera, Neelee Griffith sent Kaylee Frascatore home with a single to left field and Griffith was pushed home to score the sixth run of the inning by a Morgan Overholser double to right-center (6-0).
Though Reinhardt responded with two runs of their own in the top of the fifth, Kassi Butcher bunted through the shortstop hole to score Megan Grose and Jaclyn Jenkins singled down the left field line enabling Kayla Baker and Kirstan Beaver to put the game out of reach with two more runs (9-2). Milligan's defense backed up by Kassi Butcher's stellar pitching held the Eagles scoreless in the sixth. Nonetheless, senior Cayley Shoemaker stepped up to the plate to seal the win with a two-run home run over the left field fence (11-2).
GAME TWO | REINHARDT'S LATE RALLY
Both teams went head to head both scoring two runs in the first inning and one apiece in the second until the Eagles' Alise Hooks hit a three-run home run over the left field fence in the fourth sparking a momentum that carried over into the fifth as they earned four more runs (10-3).
The Buffs fought back in the sixth with a Jenkins two RBI double to right-center. However, it proved not enough as the Eagles scored two more runs in the seventh (12-5).
LEADERS
Butcher was given the win in game one after pitching a complete game allowing six hits and two runs. Roller swung for four RBI's while Shoemaker and Jenkins followed with two apiece. Griffith also added two hits.
Griffith and Jenkins both led with two RBI's in game two.
UP NEXT
The Buffs will travel to Brenau University for their final AAC regular season doubleheader on Friday, April 20, at 2 p.m. Milligan will return to Anglin Field for a nonconference doubleheader against Tusculum College on Sunday, April 22, at 2 p.m., their final regular season games. The AAC tournament will begin on Wednesday, April 25, in Kingsport, Tennessee, at Brickyard Park.
