HATTIESBURG, Miss. (May 14, 2024) - Milligan University baseball is 1-1 through the first two days of the NAIA Baseball Opening Round.

The Buffaloes are making their first-ever appearance in the NAIA Opening Round, competing in the Hattiesburg Bracket. Milligan won its opener 4-2 over top-seeded Mid-America Christian (Okla.) but fell 24-5 to host and No. 2 seed William Carey (Miss.) on Tuesday.

Milligan is now 34-21 overall and will play Mid-America Christian in an elimination game on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

MILLIGAN 4, MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN 2

Solid pitching was key for the Buffs in securing the win over No. 1 seed Mid-America Christian.

Milligan picked up three runs in the second thanks to three bases-loaded walks. Mid-America Christian pushed a run across in the fourth and cut the margin to 3-2 in the sixth. However, Ryan Molinary homered in the eighth to make it 4-2.

The Milligan pitching staff was solid throughout the game. Starter Joe Ducharme tossed five innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts to pick up the win. Jacob Poe gave up one earned run on two hits and a walk in two innings of the work before Vicente Mendoza recorded two hitless innings in earning the save.

WILLIAM CAREY 24, MILLIGAN 5

William Carey pounced early, scoring seven runs in the first and never looking back. The Crusaders scored in every inning except for the second and sixth.

Cade Kalehuawehe came through with a three-run double for the Buffs, and Vasili Kaloudis went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.