MILLIGAN, Tenn. – The Milligan University baseball team hosted the (RV) Cumberland University Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon on Anglin Field. The nationally recognized squad held a four-run lead in the sixth inning, but they would cough up that advantage to the Buffaloes in the final few frames, eventually resulting in a 7-6 Milligan win on a walk-off.

Cumberland scored first in the top of the opening frame via a RBI single, but the Buffs turned a double play on a line drive to second with runners at first and third to escape further damage.

The Phoenix added two more to their total in the top of the second on a RBI infield single, as well as a single to right field that should have been more. It went to the fence, but was hit in the air, and the runner at second did not get a good read of whether the ball would be caught or not. Everyone moved up a base, but the hitter went up to second, creating a logjam at the bag. He had to scamper back to first, and the accompanying throw to first allowed the runner at third to score and the man at second to advance to third. It was 3-0 after one-and-a-half frames.

In the bottom of the third, Milligan finally recorded their first hits, as Devin Gutierrez and Luis Quintero both singled. Quintero's drove in Brody Melton, who had reached base on a walk earlier in the inning. It was a 3-1 game entering the fourth.

Two quiet innings in the fourth and fifth preceded the Phoenix scoring a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. With two outs, a strike three that found its way to the backstop on a wild pitch allowed a baserunner to reach base. An infield single, followed by a triple to center by the No. 9 hitter in the batting order, made it a 5-1 game at the conclusion of the inning.

Wyatt Heidle had his first hit of the day in the bottom of the sixth, as he led things off with a solo homer to left field. It was his second HR of the campaign, and it brought Milligan back to within three runs at 5-2.

With just a pair of chances remaining for the Buffaloes, the bottom of the eighth got going with a groundout. That was followed by another solo bomb from Heidle, this time a no-doubt blast to left. That ushered in a new arm for the Phoenix, who walked Nick Iezzi and allowed the first collegiate hit—a pinch-hit single—to Christian Pawl. After another out was recorded, a single by Gaven Jones loaded the bases. Then, Cade Kalehuawehe was hit by a pitch, forcing home Iezzi to make it 5-4. Then, with two strikes on him, Melton roped a liner into left field, scoring Nick Moss and Jones to give MU their first lead of the contest, 6-5.

A leadoff solo homer to right-center field in the top of the ninth by Cumberland tied the score, as it would be up to the Buffaloes in the bottom of the ninth frame to walk things off.

That is exactly what took place, as Heidle led off with a frozen rope to left-center field, resulting in a two-base hit. His leadoff double was followed by a bunt single by Iezzi, advancing Heidle to third with no one out. Moss came up and delivered a fly ball to center that was deep enough to bring Heidle across the dish and secure Milligan a 7-6 walk-off win.

Heidle (3-for-4, 2 HR, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 3 R) was a huge part of the win, as only one other player had two or more hits for the Buffs. That player was Braxton Baird (2-for-5). Melton came through in the clutch, going 1-for-3 with the two-RBI single in the eighth to give MU their first lead. Moss, Kalehuawehe and Quintero all added one hit and a RBI apiece. Jones, Gutierrez, Iezzi and Pawl rounded out the list of Buffs with hits.

Milligan went to three arms on the bump in this one, with Sai Vickers starting the battle with four full innings of work. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk. He struck out a pair of the hitters that he faced. Jake Bruner relieved him with three innings of two-run ball. He gave up three hits and one walk, striking out two in the process. Conner Hendrix ended up being the pitcher of record, moving to 1-0 on the season with two frames of one-run, one-hit pitching. He tallied four punchouts in those innings.
 
With a good win under their belt, the Buffaloes (12-2, 4-2 AAC) now look forward to this weekend's Appalachian Athletic Conference series at Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Ga. Game one is set for 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27.