McKENZIE, Tenn. – Thursday afternoon brought the first two matchups of the 2026 season for Milligan University softball, as they headed west to McKenzie, Tenn. to face off with the Bethel University Wildcats. It ended up being a long day for the Buffaloes, who eventually dropped their first two tilts of the 2026 campaign.

The contest began with legitimate excitement for the Buffaloes, as they grabbed two quick runs in the top of the first frame. Ashley Worley doubled to begin the contest and ended up stealing third base during the following at-bat. She would score on a passed ball, as well, after one out was recorded. A Mia Grasse single, followed by three straight walks brought in another run, as Sadie Shoun was credited with an RBI, scoring Grasse to give MU a 2-0 lead.

After holding the Wildcats to nothing in the bottom of the first, the Buffaloes grabbed four more tallies in the top of the second. A two-out rally with five straight hits, including a single by Kaylee Oler, a single by Grasse, an RBI single by Mollie Johnson and a three-run two-base hit by Jordan Roulettwheeler, made it 6-0 in the Buffs' favor.

That is where the Milligan luck would run out, however, as the Wildcats rallied for a six-run bottom of the third inning on five hits to tie the score at 6-6. A fielding error allowed a run, as well as a two-RBI double, a RBI groundout, a run-scoring two-bagger and a single to bring home the sixth run.

Neither side was able to scratch across another run in the final four frames, necessitating extra innings. With the innings beginning with a runner at second, Milligan did score a run in the top of the eighth with a RBI double from Worley to score the inherited runner, Shoun, from third with two outs.

Bethel equalized in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly with a runner at third and one out. The 7-7 contest would go into the ninth inning.

An Alana Parsons RBI groundout brought home Oler, the inherited runner, from third with one out to give the Buffaloes an 8-7 lead entering the bottom of the ninth.

The Wildcats doubled home the inherited runner with one out to tie things at 8-8, but that would not be all, as they loaded the bases with two outs recorded with a hit-by-pitch and a costly Milligan error. Then, one swing of the bat plated four runs, as a walk-off grand slam gave the hosts a 12-8 win in nine innings.

Milligan allowed their second six-run inning of the day on the bottom of the first frame in game two. A run-scoring double, a RBI fielder's choice, a fielding error to allow a run, a sacrifice fly and a two-run single made it 6-0 after just a single inning.

Bethel added two more runs to their lead in the bottom of the second, as a RBI single and a squeeze bunt brought home the tallies.

The Buffaloes were able to scratch across their first two runs of the battle in the top of the third, when Haley Vigil reached base on a fielder's choice and found her way to third via a stolen base. She then scored by stealing home on a walk to Hannah Bates. Later, Shoun reached on an error, allowing Roulettwheeler to score an unearned run. Those tallies made it an 8-2 game.

Roulettwheeler nabbed another RBI in the top of the fourth to make it an 8-3 contest, pushing Emma Mayes across the plate after she doubled to lead off the inning.

Another Milligan tally would cross the dish in the top of the fifth, as a walk by Shoun and a double by Jaylyn Halliburton made it second and third with no outs. Mayes grounded out to short, scoring Shoun to make it an 8-4 score in favor of BU.

The Wildcats shut the door on the Buffs late. A two-run homer and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth stretched the Bethel lead to seven runs, again, at 11-4 after five full.

One more run from Bethel in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI groundout made it 12-4, as the Buffs had no answer on offense in the final two innings, falling by that score.

Milligan combined for 15 hits across two games, as they had nine in game one and six in the latter tilt. Halliburton (3-for-6, 2B, BB) led the team with three hits on the afternoon, while Worley (2-for-7, 2 2B, 2 BB, RBI, R), Johnson (2-for-5, RBI, R), Grasse (2-for-5, 2 R), Oler (2-for-6, BB, 2 R) and Roulettwheeler (2-for-6, 2B, 3 BB, 4 RBI, R) all had a pair of hits. Parsons and Mayes also had hits on the day.

Bree Presnell (2.2 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 5 H, 2 K, 3 BB) and Shoun (6 IP, 6 R (0 ER), 7 H, 2 K, BB) teamed up to pitch the entirety of game one, as Shoun was tagged with the loss to fall to 0-1 after allowing the homer to end the game in the ninth inning.

Game two included the collegiate debut of Abigail Teubert (2.1 IP, 8 R (7 ER), 6 H, K, 3 BB), who started the contest. The bout was concluded in the circle by Presnell (3.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 K, BB), with Teubert absorbing the loss for her season record, which stands at 0-1.

Milligan's (0-2) next time on the diamond will be Thursday, Feb. 19 at home for the first time in the Cassie Fortner era, as the Buffs welcome the NCAA Division II Lees McRae College (N.C.) Bobcats to Anglin Field for a doubleheader, with first pitch set for 12 p.m.