MILLIGAN, Tenn. – On Saturday, the Milligan University softball squad put their perfect Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) record on the line against the defending AAC Tournament champions, the Johnson University (Tenn.) Royals, on Anglin Field. After a stunning 10-2 dismantling of the Royals in a five-inning game one, the Buffaloes held on in a much more competitive second tilt, winning 7-5 to complete the doubleheader sweep and stay undefeated in league play.

After a trio of scoreless half-innings, the Buffs came through in the bottom of the second, as Jaylyn Halliburton doubled to straightaway center to start the frame. Following a sacrifice bunt by Katelin Secrist, Alana Parsons singled home the pinch-running Campbell Owen from third to give MU a 1-0 lead. With two outs in that inning, Lily Frazier smacked a run-scoring double over the left fielder's head to score Parsons, making it 2-0.

Johnson would grab a tally in the top of the third inning, as they singled home a run from third with one out to cut the lead down to 2-1.

The scoring went wild in the bottom of the third inning, when a leadoff double by Mia Grasse started an offensive riot. A walk to Jordan Roulettwheeler, followed by a hit-by-pitch to Halliburton, brought Secrist back to the plate. She hit a deep drive to left that went off the tip of the outstretched glove of the left fielder, forcing the Buffs to go up just one base each, making it 3-1. Then, though, Parsons stepped to the dish and got into a 3-1 advantage count. She deposited the next offering well beyond the fence in right-center field, breaking it open 7-1 with a grand slam. Still, the team was not done, as walks to Mollie Johnson and Frazier would follow. After a wild pitch to put both runners in scoring position, Ashley Worley bounced a grounder through the right side of the infield to make it 9-1.

Runs would cease to be tallied for the next two half-innings, but the Royals would finally return to the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning, as a passed ball with a runner on third base allowed them to make it a 9-2 ballgame.

Milligan, though, would grab that run right back in the bottom of the fifth. After M. Johnson was hit by a pitch and stole second, Worley singled through the left side of the infield and scored Johnson to win the game for the Buffs via the run rule, 10-2.

The latter game was a much more hotly contested battle. However, it did not necessarily look that way early on, as Milligan scored four times in the bottom of the first. All of the runs were unearned, as a two-out double by Grasse looked like it was going to be stranded on a simple fly ball to center field. The Royals' center fielder dropped the ball, however, and allowed Grasse to score and Roulettwheeler to reach first base. That play certainly rattled Johnson, as they committed another error the following play on a fielder's choice grounder to shortstop, with both runners reaching and the throwing error putting Roulettwheeler on third. A Haley Vigil single down the right-field line brough Roulettwheeeler in and chased Halliburton to third. After a steal of second by Vigil, Parsons came up and delivered a two-run single through the left side to score both runners and make it 4-0.

After the dust settled on that inning, the Royals righted the ship with a five spot in the top of the second, as a host of singles—four to be exact—plus a walk and three stolen bases gave Johnson five runs in the frame to supply them with their first lead of the day.

The Buffaloes stole two of those runs back in the bottom of the second, as a leadoff hit-by-pitch on Worley put her aboard. A sac bunt by Kaylee Oler moved Worley up to second and then Grasse singled down the left-field line to put runners at the corners. A brilliant double steal play would bring Worley across the plate and put Grasse at second in a tied 5-5 game. After Roulettwheeler singled and Halliburton was hit by another pitch, the bases were loaded for Vigil. She bunted with the bases loaded and the Royals could not make a play on the perfectly placed ball resulting in a bunt single and an RBI to give MU the lead, 6-5.

Neither side scored again until the bottom of the fourth when the Buffs extended their lead to two runs. A walk by Vigil with two outs, followed by a Parsons single through the middle, preceded a hit-by-pitch on M. Johnson. During a Frazier at-bat, a wild pitch was thrown, allowing Vigil to score the seventh Milligan run of the contest.

Milligan did a great job defensively over the last three defensive frames, allowing no more runs and turning a pair of double plays, one unconventional on a bunt play and another in the final frame on a grounder to third base. The latter turn helped seal the 7-5 win to clinch the sweep of the Royals.

Parsons was a menace in the Milligan lineup again on Saturday, as she had five hits in seven at-bats, plus a grand slam homer and seven total RBI across the two tilts. Grasse was also stellar with the stick, tallying four hits in six trips with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. Both Worley and Vigil had two hits on the day, with the former posting three RBI and the latter totaling two in just one game played. Oler, Roulettwheeler, Secrist and Frazier each had one hit on the day, as well.

Secrist continues to pitch extremely well, as she started and finished the opener, notching a complete-game win with just two runs allowed (one earned) on five hits and a pair of strikeouts with just one walk. She moved to 4-2 in the win-loss column this season with the triumph.

The latter contest saw three pitchers toe the slab, as Roulettwheeler started the bout with 1.1 innings of work, allowing three runs on three hits with one strikeout and a walk. She was relieved by the eventual winning pitcher, Bree Presnell, who tossed 3.2 frames and gave up only two runs—all in the second inning—on four hits and two walks plus a strikeout. Secrist returned to the circle to close out the game with two scoreless innings, while giving up just a single hit and a single free pass. It was her second save of the campaign.

The Buffs (8-4, 6-0 AAC) have got a massive road test ahead of them, as the No. 13-ranked University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots play host to the Buffaloes, who are yet to face a ranked opponent yet on the young season. First pitch of the non-conference doubleheader in Williamsburg on Wednesday, March 11 is set for 1 p.m.