COLUMBIA, S.C. – On Friday afternoon, Milligan University's baseball program wrapped up a three-game series against Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) opponent Columbia International University with a doubleheader. After picking up an extra-inning win the previous night, Friday's games were to decide the winner of the series. Following a disappointing loss in game one of the day, in which Milligan went back and forth with Columbia International, they righted the ship in game two to shut out the Rams. They took the series by a tally of two games to one by nabbing an 8-0 win.

After a scoreless first inning, Milligan threatened in the top of the second. However, with a runner at third, CIU's left fielder made a spectacular catch to rob Wyatt Heidle of an RBI. In the bottom of the inning, the Buffs struggled to command the strike zone and the first three CIU hitters reached base on walks, forcing MU to make an early pitching change. With the bases loaded and no outs, a ground ball double play plated a run and a two-out single drove home another to give the Rams a 2-0 lead.

Milligan got those two runs back with one swing of the bat, as after Nick Iezzi walked to lead off the third inning Nick Moss hit a two-run homer to left.

The big fly seemed to jump-start the Milligan offense that struggled a bit in the series' first game. In the fourth, Brody Melton got things going with a double and Gutierrez followed with a base on balls. A balk moved both runners into scoring position, and a two-RBI single from Heidle put the Buffs ahead 4-2. Then, Moss's second dinger of the day powered the Buffs to a commanding lead, 6-2.

The Rams responded in the bottom of the inning, as they capitalized on defensive miscues from the Buffs. After two errors and a walk loaded the bases for CIU, a grand slam evened the ballgame at six apiece.

Gaven Jones and Cade Kalehuawe hit back-to-back singles to start the fifth inning, and the CIU pitcher was called for another balk to move them to second and third. Then, Gutierrez drove them home with a single, putting MU back ahead 8-6.

Columbia International had the answer in the sixth inning. After the first two outs were recorded on a lineout double play, a hit-by-pitch and single to left field put runners on first and second. A subsequent single would score the runner from second to make it 8-7, and a home run to left would clear the bases and give CIU the lead, 10-7.

Milligan scored two runs in the seventh when Iezzi singled and Moss continued his hot day at the plate with a base hit, and a throwing error allowed both runners to score, cutting the deficit to one at 10-9.

The Buffs were held scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings and fell in the opening game of the doubleheader, 10-9.

Milligan scored first in game two, after Jones tripled to deep right-center field and Kalehuawe did enough to score him on a ground ball despite being thrown out at first.

The Buffs added a run in the third inning to put them ahead 2-0. Josh Lail led off with a walk and Moss tallied his fifth hit across the doubleheader with a double. Then, Braxton Baird was able to drive Lail in from third with a ground ball.

Milligan added another run in the fourth, when Gutierrez ripped a double down the left-field line to score Luis Quintero.

In the fifth inning, Baird walked and Jones traded places with him on a fielder's choice. Brody Melton then blasted one over the center-field wall to extend the Buffs' lead to 5-0.
The Buffs added an insurance run in the sixth, after Baird singled to center and Jones was hit by a pitch. A wild pitcher from the Rams led to two passed balls, with the runners advancing to second and third on the first and Jones scoring on the second.

In the seventh inning, Melton walked, stole a base and advanced to third on a throwing error. Then, Luis Quintero singled up the middle to score him and extend the lead to 7-0. Quintero later scored on a wild pitch, making it 8-0.

Moss made an immediate impact in his first games of the season, going 5-for-8 with a pair of round-trippers, four RBI and two runs scored. Baird (2 RBI), Kalehuawehe (RBI, R) and Jones (2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, SB) all continued to swing the bat well. Gutierrez went 3-for-7 with 3 RBI and a double.

Anfernee Fernandez struggled in the first game, giving up four walks in 1.0 IP. He also gave up one hit and had 2 ER. Jack McLaury put in five innings of work, allowing three runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts. Cole Wessel did a good job of keeping the Rams at bay after they put up 10 runs in the first six innings. He pitched the seventh and eighth innings and only allowed two hits and struck out two batters.

Jonah Ward pitched a shutout for six innings in game two. He struck out five hitters, only allowed one walk and limited the Rams to four hits. Devin Gutierrez finished off the seven-inning bout with two strikeouts in the final inning.

Next up, The Buffaloes return home to Anglin Field on Tuesday, Feb. 24, for a standalone non-conference matchup against Cumberland (Tenn.). First pitch is set for 2 p.m.