CLEVELAND, Ga. — On Tuesday, the Milligan University softball team traveled to Cleveland, Ga. for an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader against the Truett McConnell University Golden Bears. It was a disappointing afternoon for Milligan, as they managed just three runs across the two games, dropping both contests. After rallying from behind in game one, Milligan was unable to complete the comeback and fell by a 3-2 final. In game two, an impressive pitching performance was not enough to get the Buffs over the hump, as they dropped the second game 2-1.
The Golden Bears wasted no time getting the bats going in the opener, as they put two tallies on the board in the first inning. The two runs were aided by back-to-back walks following an error on the first three batters of the game. A bases-loaded single brought in the first run, and a fielder's choice RBI in the subsequent at-bat put Truett McConnell ahead 2-0. Milligan worked their way out of the jam by getting two outs to avoid any further damage. The two-run first inning was followed by three scoreless frames.
The Buffs broke through to tie the game in the top of the fourth by matching the two runs from the Bears.
Haley Vigil led off with a single down the left field line.
Kaylee Oler laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Vigil to third, but
Alana Parsons would have brought her home anyway with a two-run shot over the left field wall in the next at-bat. Truett McConnell responded in the bottom half of the inning by pushing a run across to take the lead back, on a two-out double followed by an RBI single.
Milligan was unable to threaten again, despite holding the Bears off the board the rest of the way, losing the opener 3-2. Overall, the Buffs had four hits in the contest, while the Bears recorded six.
Milligan's luck offensively did not turn around in the latter tilt, but an impressive performance from
Bree Presnell kept the Buffs in the pitching duel.
The Buffs struck first in game two in the second inning.
Ashley Worley reached base on an error to start the inning and advanced to third following a groundout. Then,
Sadie Shoun put a ball in play, scoring Worley with a groundout.
Milligan held the one-run lead until the sixth inning, when Truett McConnell scored the equalizer on a similar sequence. A leadoff single followed by two groundouts plated a run to tie the game at one.
The Buffs recorded their first hit of the game in the seventh inning, but three straight outs followed, leaving the score tied going into the bottom half of the final frame.
Truett McConnell scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to complete the doubleheader sweep, on a leadoff single, a groundout and a fielder's choice RBI.
Milligan combined for five hits across the doubleheader, tallying four in game one and one in game two. Worley led the team offensively across both games going 3-for-6 with a run scored. Parsons (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) provided the offensive highlight of the day with a two-run shot to left field in game one. Vigil (1-for-6, R) and Shoun (SAC, RBI) also contributed on the day.
On the mound in game one,
Katelin Secrist went the distance with 6.0 innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits with two walks and one strikeout. In game two, Presnell turned in a strong outing, working 6.0 innings and limiting Truett McConnell to just two runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out one across 102 pitches. Secrist came on in relief to close out the seventh.
Milligan (19-17, 14-10 AAC) will look to bounce back in the final AAC series of the season against Reinhardt (Ga.) University in a doubleheader on the road in Waleska, Ga. on Wednesday, April 15.
