BLUEFIELD, Va. – The Milligan University baseball team headed out to Bluefield, Va. On Friday afternoon to continue their 2025 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) slate against the Bluefield University Rams with a single nine-inning contest. After a quick start, the Buffaloes were able to hold on for a 12-6 win over their hosts.
Milligan's offense ramped up quickly scoring three times in the first frame. Angel Lobo knocked in both Brody Melton and Braxton Baird on a single to make it 2-0, before Nick Iezzi came in to score from third on a wild pitch.
Another pair of tallies would be added on by the Buffs in the second, with a Bluefield error leading to Reagan Smith crossing the dish, and Skyler Saunders scoring on a fielder's choice by Melton.
In the third, the Buffaloes grabbed one more on a run-scoring single by Smith to score Landon Lutterman, making it 6-0. The score would remain there until the fifth.
Cade Kalehuawehe would deposit a pitch over the outfield fence in the top of the fifth, tacking on three more runs to the Milligan total. He drove in Lutterman and Josh Lail, alongside himself, to make it 9-0.
The Rams put together a nice comeback bid, beginning in the bottom of the sixth, when they scored twice on an RBI infield single and a fielder's choice, making it a still-daunting 9-2 deficit.
However, they then held MU off the board and were able to score four more times in the bottom of the eighth on two bases-loaded walks and an error that allowed a pair of tallies to cross the plate. That small outburst made it a much more manageable 9-6 deficit for Bluefield.
At last, the Buffs would snuff out that attempt with three runs of their own in the top of the ninth. That rally began with Saunders scoring on a wild pitch, and then Melton had an RBI fielder's choice to score Smith. Iezzi capped it off with a sacrifice fly to center, with Miller Spence trotting home on the play. They would then hold off the Rams in the bottom half for a 12-6 win.
Milligan's lineup was led by the efforts of Lutterman, who was the lone hitter with three knocks in the game. He scored a pair of runs, as well. Kalehuawehe led the way in run production with three runs driven in on his three-run homer. Baird and Smith each had two hits, as well, with an RBI apiece. Melton and Lobo both had two runs batted in on a hit each.
Canyon Geren had an impressive start, allowing just two runs on four hits in the victory, which is his fourth of the campaign. He struck out five and walked two across six innings of work. Patrick Collins had a tough day on the mound in relief, allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits with three walks afforded. He also had three punchouts in 1.2 innings. Jacob Poe finished the last 1.1 frames without allowing a hit and striking out two.
A return to the field tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Rams is scheduled to start with the nine-inning contest at 1 p.m., as the Buffaloes look to clinch a series triumph for the first time since the Pikeville series win on Mar. 14-15.
