MILLIGAN, Tenn. – Milligan University's 2026 baseball squad made their home debut on Monday afternoon, as they hosted the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) RedStorm on Anglin Field for a pair of seven-inning tilts. After authoring a shutout to begin the day, the Buffs notched a comeback win in game two to sweep their first two home contests of the campaign.

After one-and-a-half scoreless frames, the Buffaloes struck first in game one. A leadoff single by Nick Iezzi was followed by a two-run blast to left field by Gaven Jones, who continues to stay hot to begin his fifth-year campaign.

Milligan would retain that 2-0 lead until the bottom of the third, when they tacked on two more runs. Braxton Baird and Brody Melton reached base via a hit-by-pitch and a walk, respectively, to begin the inning. An RBI single by Iezzi would follow, scoring Baird and advancing Melton to third. Jones then provided an RBI groundout to shortstop to plate Melton, making it 4-0 after three.

Two more MU runs would score in the bottom of the fourth to conclude the scoring in the contest, as an error was committed by the URG first baseman, allowing both Devin Gutierrez and Luis Quintero to score unearned runs, making it a 6-0 Milligan lead.

Rio Grande never threatened in the first bout, as they were held to just two hits in a 6-0 Buffs triumph to open the day.

It was certainly a different story for the second battle, with the RedStorm striking for three runs immediately. Three straight singles, including an RBI base hit and a two-run knock made it 3-0 before Milligan even picked up a bat.

The Buffs quickly responded with three runs in the bottom half of the frame, as Iezzi singled up the middle to drive in both Baird and Cade Kalehuawehe to make it 3-2, before Wyatt Heidle provided a sacrifice fly to score Iezzi from third to knot the score at three apiece.

Both sides were quiet until the top of the fourth when Rio Grande scored on a sacrifice fly to left field, giving them a 4-3 advantage.

Yet again, Milligan's response was immediate. After Jones singled and stole second base, Iezzi had another RBI single to tie the game at 4-4 after three full frames.

A single run would score in the top of the fourth for URG, as a leadoff double proved to be costly for MU. After a hit-by-pitch, a sac bunt put runners at second and third with one out. A sacrifice fly would ensue, before the end of the inning. A 5-4 edge was grabbed by the RedStorm.

After one frame of no scoring, the Buffaloes were able to grab the tying run again on an RBI single down the left-field line from Heidle. Melton came across the plate to even the tally at 5-5.

Finally holding URG off the board for an inning, the Buffs were able to grab their first lead of the tilt in the bottom of the sixth. A walk to Baird and a single by Kalehuawehe got the team off and running. Then, Jones singled home Baird and Iezzi doubled both Kalehuawehe and Jones across the dish to round out the three-run inning for Milligan.

The MU lead would hold at 8-5, as three strikeouts by Rio Grande in the top of the seventh closed out the tilt in the Buffs' favor.

Iezzi (5-for-7, 2B, 6 RBI, 2 R) led the way for Milligan, with Jones (2-for-6, HR, BB, 4 RBI, 3 R) also posting another good day at the plate. Baird finished 2-for-6 with three runs scored and drew a walk, while both Quintero and Gutierrez also had two hits across five combined at-bats. Heidle knocked in a run on a hit in game two, and Kalehuawehe had a hit and scored twice in that contest.

The Buffaloes got strong pitching in game one from the combo of Canyon Geren (3 IP, 2 H, 4 K, 2 BB), Justin Schnell (3 IP, 6 K, 2 BB, winning pitcher) and Cainan Meyers (1 IP, K, BB). They combined to shut down the URG bats to the tune of just a pair of hits across seven frames.

After Anfernee Fernandez struggled a bit in his first home appearance of the season (2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, K, 3 BB), Jake Brune (1 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB) also allowed multiple runs to the RedStorm. Brycen Denton (2 IP, 3 K, 3 BB) and Tucker Webb (2 IP, H, 4 K, BB, winning pitcher) righted the ship with one hit allowed between the two of them over the bout's last four frames.

A return to Anglin Field on Tuesday, where the Buffaloes will match up against the Golden Bears of West Virginia Tech, consists of a pair of seven-inning games. First pitch for game one is set for 12 p.m.