COLUMBIA, S.C. — After snapping their longest losing skid of the season on Sunday, the Milligan University softball squad was back on the diamond, this time at Columbia International University in Columbia, S.C. The Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) doubleheader began in illustrious fashion for the Buffs, who saw Katelin Secrist—their game one starter in the circle—hurl the first no-hitter for Milligan since 2022. The team earned a 5-0 win in the process. Game two would follow a reversed script, as it was CIU who forced a split by holding a no-hitter through four innings. They ultimately downed the Buffaloes 7-2.

Following a scoreless start to the opening game through two full frames, the Buffaloes struck first in the top of the third, notching a quartet of tallies to take a 4-0 lead. A one-out single by Haley Vigil to center and a subsequent throwing error put her at second base. Then, a bunt single by Kaylee Oler set the Buffs up with runners at the corners. Jordan Roulettwheeler came to the plate and delivered a sacrifice squeeze bunt to plate the game's first run. Three straight hits with two outs provided the final three runs, as Jaylyn Halliburton singled on the infield and drove in a run before Alana Parsons rapped a double to right-center field. Secrist then supplied a two-run single to center to make it 4-0.

The only other run of the first game of the twin-billing was a two-out RBI hit by Roulettwheeler into left field in the top of the fourth that scored Vigil to make it 5-0.

CIU only had a runner reach second base in one inning of the entire game, the bottom of the sixth, as four walks and two fielding errors by the Buffaloes were spread across the seven frames.

The Rams did not take kindly to the shutdown performance by Secrist and the Milligan defense in the first tilt, as evidenced by their game two output. Following a scoreless first inning and top of the second, CIU scored three times in the bottom of inning number two to take a 3-0 lead. They loaded the bases and hit a sacrifice fly, and followed that up with a double steal to allow a run to score. Lastly, a RBI single closed out the frame for the hosts.

Two more Columbia International runs would cross the dish in the bottom of the third, as the first three batters of the inning reached base safely. That was followed by a walk and later a run-scoring single to force home two tallies for the home squad, making it 5-0 after three.

The fourth inning added two more tallies to the Rams' ledger, giving them a 7-0 lead after a throwing error by the MU defense on a grounder with runners at second and third and two outs afforded the hosts a pair of unearned runs.

It was simply not the Buffaloes' game offensively in the second matchup, as after loading the bases in the top of the fifth with no outs, the squad had three straight hitters retired on unproductive outs to keep them off the scoreboard. 

In the top of the sixth, Milligan broke through, as a one-out bunt single put Oler on first base. Then, a pinch-hit opportunity was given to freshman Emma Mayes, who delivered a double to right-center field with an 0-2 count on her. It chased Oler all the way around to make it a 7-1 game, giving Mayes her second career RBI. Then, after out number two had been recorded, Parsons stood in and delivered a RBI single to push Mayes across, cutting the deficit to five at 7-2.

Unfortunately for the Buffs, nothing more would come offensively in the seventh, as they were retired in order to result in a 7-2 loss and a doubleheader split.

Overall, the Buffaloes tallied 14 hits across 14 innings, with nine coming in game one and five taking place in the second tilt. Parsons led the way, going 3-for-7 with a double and a RBI. Vigil, Oler, Halliburton and Secrist added two hits apiece to bring the overall total to 11. Roulettwheeler (1-for-3, 2 RBI), Sadie Shoun (1-for-5) and Mayes (1-for-1, 2B, RBI) added the other three.

Secrist's no-hitter in the first tilt included four walks and two strikeouts. It was the first no-no tossed by a Milligan arm since the 2022 season, when Cloee-Anna Merritt served Bluefield that fate in a 13-0, five-inning win. The last seven-inning no-hitter thrown by the Buffs was a combined 4-0 win over CIU in 2021 by Erin Forgety and Lainey Mays. The win puts Secrist at 10-6 for the year and she now sports a 2.95 ERA.

Game two was started by Abigail Teubert (2 IP, 9 H, 4 ER (5 R), K) and concluded by Bree Presnell (4 IP, 3 H, 2 R (0 ER), 5 K, BB), as Teubert was tagged with the loss to fall to 1-4 in her freshman campaign.

Next up for Milligan (16-14, 11-7 AAC) is another pair of conference matchups with the Union Commonwealth University (Ky.) Bulldogs on Friday, April 3 with first pitch set for 2 p.m. on Anglin Field.