JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 8, 2019) â€" Freshman Chance Hall and senior Brandon Laboy homered to highlight the afternoon, but the Milligan College baseball team dropped both games to Huntington University on day one of the Clash of Conferences tournament held at TVA Credit Union Stadium Friday. The Buffaloes dropped game one 7-5 and game two 7-4 to fall to 1-4 on the year.

SEVENTH INNING RALLY DOOMS BUFFS IN GAME ONE
Hall and Laboy homered, and senior Jeffrey Mefford tossed five innings of one run baseball, but a six run seventh inning by Huntington doomed Milligan as they dropped game one 7-5.

Hall got things rolling for the Buffs offensively in the bottom of the first as the freshman went oppo to right field clearing the wall for a two run homer to give Milligan the early 2-0 lead.

The Buffs would add another run in the bottom of the second when Kirby Smith drove home Baily Psathas on an RBI groundout. Psathas had reached base on a triple to deep right field.

In the third, Hall brought home Blake Dutton on a sac fly to extend Milligan's lead to 4-0 and Laboy capped off the scoring for the Buffs in the fourth with an opposite field dinger to right. 

Mefford pitched well for the Buffs, but had to work out of trouble in the top of the third and fifth as the senior left the bases loaded in both frames. The senior allowed one run to come across in the fifth, but held the Huntington offense at bay otherwise. Mefford finished his afternoon with seven strikeouts.

The Buffs looked to be in good shape to pick up their second win of the season heading into the top of the seventh, but the Foresters would not go down easily.

Adrian Perez started the six run rally with a monster shot into the wind over the left field wall cutting the Milligan lead to 5-2. The next four batters reached base safely for the Foresters via either a single or walk, before Will Queen, who came in relief for Wyatt Richardson, was able to punchout Daniel Lichty.

But, the Foresters responded to facing their final out by ripping back-to-back doubles down the left field line for four runs to take the lead at 7-5.

In the bottom half of the seventh, after back-to-back strikeouts started the inning, Braden Jones reached base via a hit-by-pitch, but would be thrown out trying to steal second to end the contest.

Queen (1-1) was stuck with the loss for Milligan.

GAME TWO
Similarly to game one, the Buffs jumped out to an early advantage posting three runs in the first inning. Chayse Frye brought home Camron Harper on an RBI double to open up the scoring and Juan Vasquez doubled home two more runs later in the inning to make it 3-0.

Wyatt Sowers got the nod for Milligan and cruised through the first four innings before running into some trouble on the base paths in the fifth. The Foresters loaded the bases with two-outs and were able to draw a walk to score their first run of the game.

Sowers would get the next out via a flyout to center and was able to escape the jam to end his day on the mound. The junior tossed five innings of one run baseball and picked up two strikeouts.

In the bottom half of the frame, the Buffs got the run back on a Frye RBI double to extend the lead to 4-1.

The advantage wouldn't hold long for Milligan as the Foresters put together a six run sixth inning to take their first lead of the game at 7-4. The first six batters of the inning reached base safely for Huntington and the Foresters took full advantage.

Milligan was unable to muster up any offense in their two trips to the plate following the big inning by Huntington.

Andrew Smith (0-1) picked up the loss for the Buffs.

UP NEXT
Milligan returns to action Saturday for day two of the Clash of Conferences tournament. Milligan is set to square off against University of Rio Grande at 4 p.m. and Concordia College at 7 p.m.