KINGSPORT, Tenn. – On Tuesday, the Milligan University baseball team began Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament play in good fashion with an 8-2 victory over the Bluefield University Rams.
Bluefield began the scoring in the top of the first, scoring one run on two hits. However, the Buffs would respond quickly, as Braxton Baird hit a line drive single to left field on the first pitch of the bottom half of the first. After advancing on a wild pitch, Baird would come in to score on an RBI single to right center by Cade Kalehuawehe. This would make the score 1-1, but only for a short time.
After a clean second inning for both sides, Milligan caught fire for their biggest offensive inning of day, led off by a Trey Massengill HBP. Baird followed that up by ripping another line drive single, this time to center field. Massengill would then come in to score on an RBI single by Brody Melton, and both Melton and Baird would advance on a throwing error. Angel Lobo proceeded to reach first on an RBI fielder's choice that would score Baird after a heady baserunning display from third to home. Another RBI fielder's choice would score Melton on a Landon Lutterman groundout. Finally, Tank Hansen ripped an RBI single up the middle to score Lobo from second, making the score 5-1 after the four-run frame.
Bluefield would respond with their final run of the contest in the top of fourth with a solo shot to make the score 5-2. After that run, the score would remain at 5-2 until the seventh inning, when Milligan had another big inning to provide some insurance for their pitching in the late innings.
In the bottom of the seventh, Kalehuawehe would kick off the action with a leadoff double. Lobo would go on to score Skyler Saunders (the courtesy runner for Kalehuawehe) with an RBI single. In the next at-bat, Lutterman smoked an RBI double off the right-center field wall to score Lobo. Lutterman would later come around to score on a wild pitch, making the score 8-2, which would be the final tally of the Milligan victory.
Baird led the Buffs' offense on the day with three hits, while also scoring two runs. Lobo and Lutterman slugged their way to 2 RBIs each, leading the team in that department. Four Milligan hitters joined Baird with multiple hits in the contest, including Kalehuawehe, Melton, Lobo, and Hansen. Baird, Kalehuawehe, and Lutterman all had extra-base hits, as well.
Canyon Geren got the start on the bump for Milligan, going eight innings and only allowing two runs on four hits. Geren competed well for the Buffs, finding multiple ways to get outs, including four strikeouts. Austin Maxey would get the final inning of work in the contest, allowing no runs on one hit.
Milligan baseball will return to Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, Tennessee on Thursday, May 1st, for their second game of AAC Tournament play, against an opponent which is still TBD. The game is slated to start at noon.
