MILLIGAN, Tenn. – The Milligan University baseball team hosted Appalachian Athletic Conference opponent Bryan (Tenn.) College Lions Friday evening at Anglin Field. The game served as game one of a three-game series. After falling behind by four runs, the Buffs used clutch hitting and two home runs to complete a comeback victory, 7-6.

After two scoreless innings, Milligan struck first in the bottom of the third with a two-out rally. Gaven Jones started the rally by stretching a single into a double on a ball hit to shallow center field. Cade Kalehuawehe capitalized on the savvy baserunning from Jones with a sharply hit ground ball up the middle for a single, scoring Jones from second and giving Milligan a 1-0 lead.

The Buffs continued to thrive under pressure, as a two-out rally in the fourth inning brought in another run, extending the Milligan advantage to 2-0. Devin Gutierrez started with a two-out hit and Nick Iezzi followed with a base knock to put runners on the corners. Then, Nick Moss sent a flare out to right field to score Gutierrez from third.

In the fifth inning, the Lions' offense turned the tide with four runs to take the lead 4-2. A leadoff walk followed by a double quickly put Bryan in prime position to score. From there, command issues plagued the Buffs' pitching staff, as a wild pitch scored the runner from third and a walk put runners at the corners. With runners on the corners, a base hit brought in a run. Then, a single loaded the bases and a subsequent double scored the final two runs in the inning.

Bryan would build on that momentum and add two runs in the sixth to extend the advantage to 6-2. The Buffs struggled to find the strike zone with two walks to start the inning. Then, after a bunt single loaded the bases, a single scored two runs.

One swing of the bat would bring Milligan back into the game in the bottom of the sixth, as Gutierrez wore a pitch to get on base with two outs, and Nick Iezzi clobbered a ball over the right field wall to bring Milligan within two runs at 6-4.

In the next inning, Milligan benefited from the same sequence of a walk followed by a home run to tie the game at six. This time, Kalehuawehe drew the walk and Brody Melton delivered the long ball.

After a scoreless eighth inning, Bryan was set down in order in the ninth to bring the game to the bottom of the ninth inning tied at six.
The theme of clutch hitting from Milligan continued in the bottom of the ninth. Kalehuawehe reached base on a leadoff single and Melton launched a ball over the left fielder's head to put runners on second and third. Then, it was Landon Lutterman who delivered a walk-off hit, scoring pinch runner Cole Hartley from third to complete the comeback.

Offensively, Melton (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, R) and Kalehuawehe (3-for-4, RBI, BB) led the way. Jones (2-for-5, 2B, R) and Iezzi (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R) were the only other Buffs with multiple hits. Gutierrez went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and was hit by a pitch. Nick Moss went 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and was hit by a pitch. Lutterman (1-for-5) delivered the walk-off single, while Luis Quintero added one hit.

On the mound, Canyon Geren started with 4.1 innings, allowing six hits and four runs with five walks and five strikeouts. Justin Schnell followed with 0.2 innings, surrendering one hit and two runs with two walks. Brycen Denton steadied the ship with 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Tucker Webb picked up the win to move to 3-0 on the season with 1.1 perfect innings, striking out two.

Next, Milligan (23-6, 12-3 AAC) will complete the three-game series against Bryan tomorrow on Anglin Field. First pitch for game two is set for 12 p.m.