BARBOURVILLE, KY. – Milligan University baseball fell short on Friday afternoon 11-10 at Union.
Milligan slides to 16-13 overall and 6-10 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play. Union improves to 16-8-1 and 7-5 in conference games.
It was a slow start for the Buffs as their first three batters were put away in quick succession by way of groundouts. With the bases loaded in the bottom half, Union utilized a hit batter with the bases loaded to take a 1-0 lead.
With Milligan still scoreless after two, Jimmy Gamboa was able to keep Union in check as he picked up a pair of strikeouts.
After a double to center field by Andrew Mathias, Logan Hullette hit a single to center that allowed Mathias to score on the throw to even the game at 1-1.
Creed Werker relieved Gamboa on the mound to start the bottom of the third after a lengthy rain delay. He grounded out a pair and struck the batter batter out to retire the side.
Inning four saw a pair of runners each scoring position for the bulldogs. This was achieved after a batter struck out swinging, which led to a pair of steals. The next batter up was walked and loaded the bases. The Bulldogs then put up five runs. The first came by way of a bases loaded walk, while the remaining runners reach home on a four-run home run to left center to make it 6-1.
Milligan inched closer in the top half of the fifth as Mathias launched a three-run home run to left field. A walk and passed ball gave the Buffs all the momentum as they were to bring home two more and even the score at 6-6.
The Bulldogs reopened their lead in the bottom half of the fifth by way of a RBI-single and a sacrifice fly fly to centerfield. This pair of runs made it 8-6.
With a pair of outs in the sixth, Brandon Marello was able to steal third and reach home after a throwing error by the catcher. Hullette then struck out swinging and retired the side with an 8-7 Bulldogs lead.
Union answered immediately in their half with an RBI groundout to extend their lead to 9-7.
Anthony Guzman made it 9-8 with an RBI-single to right field that drove home Caleb Berry. Casey Haire lined out into a double play that sent the game to the bottom of the seventh.
Union once again answered quickly in the bottom of the seventh an RBI-double to left. Another RBI by the Bulldogs in the bottom eight kept the pressure on with the score now 11-8.
Ángel Lobo fired up some late game heroics with a home run to left field to keep the comeback hopes alive. Jack Sutton hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive home Berry. Marello was next up for the Buffs but struck out looking. The Bulldogs walked away with an 11-10 victory.
The Buffs remain at Union on Saturday as they square off in a doubleheader to close out the series.
