MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (April 22, 2019) â€" Dominant pitching from seniors Camron Harper and Jeffrey Mefford led Milligan College's baseball team to a pair of 1-0 wins over St. Andrews University on senior day Monday at Anglin Field.
 
Harper (eight K's in nine innings) and Mefford (14 K's in seven innings) combined for 22 strikeouts and 16 shutout innings as Milligan (18-22, 9-14 AAC) won the Appalachian Athletic Conference series and moved one step closer to clinching a spot in the upcoming AAC tournament. Harper pitched his fourth complete game of the season and first shutout of his career. Mefford pitched his first complete game of the season and first shutout of his career.
 
Harper's gem leads Milligan after senior ceremony | Buffs win game one, 1-0
After a celebration of the senior class prior to first pitch, Harper, a senior, handed in one of the top pitching performances of his two-year Milligan career. Harper (5-3) went all nine innings, allowing only six hits, no runs and no walks with eight strikeouts.
 
Harper faced only six over the minimum and became more efficient as the day moved on. After allowing the first runner to reach in each of the first three innings, Harper settled down to pitch four perfect innings over the last six. He struck out seven of the last 14 batters he faced, including setting down four of the last seven via strikeout looking. Harper faced the minimum over the last four innings and retired the last seven batters he faced on the way to the win.
 
Harper even provided the Buffs with the game's only run in game one, driving in Tyler Dimon on an infield hit with two out in the third inning. It followed a rally where Kirby Smith reached base with two out and the bases clear.
 
Mefford picks up where Harper leaves off | Buffs win game two, 1-0
Harper set a high bar, but Mefford was well up to the challenge in the nightcap. Mefford, too, grew more efficient as the game progressed, striking out the last eight batters of the game on the way to a career high of 14 punchouts. Mefford's winning line was seven innings, two hits, no runs, no walks and 14 K's as he picked up his second win of the season.
 
Mefford faced only three over the minimum and only saw one base runner go past first. It came in the top of the fifth, with the game still scoreless, on a one-out double, but Mefford escaped the threat with back-to-back strikeouts. Milligan answered in the bottom half with the game's only run, then Mefford pitched a perfect sixth and seventh, striking out all six.
 
Similar to game one, Harper was again a crucial part of the scoring effort in game two. Harper reached to lead off the fifth on a bunt single, then moved to second on Alex Morales' sacrifice and to third on a wild pitch. William Oliver provided the RBI with a sacrifice fly to center with one out, making it 1-0.
 
It proved to be all the scoring Mefford and the Buffs would need.
 
Up next
Milligan and St. Andrews finish the series Tuesday at 12 p.m. The Buffs will then be on the road for the final series of the regular season when they head to Union College over the upcoming weekend.