KINGSPORT, Tenn. – On Monday, the seventh-seeded Milligan University softball program played their First Round game of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament in Kingsport, Tenn. at the Brickyard Ball Fields. The Buffaloes' eventual victory was never in doubt, as they put up a six spot in the bottom of the second and gradually improved their lead en route to a run-rule victory in six frames, 9-1.
The bottom of the second was when things got going for the Milligan offense.
Katelin Secrist led off with a walk, before a fielding error allowed
Mollie Johnson to reach base and put two aboard with no outs. A single by
Jordan Roulettwheeler and a bases-loaded walk by
Sadie Shoun pushed the score to 1-0 for the Buffs. After the first out was recorded, five more runs crossed the plate before the second out was grabbed by Columbia.
Haley Vigil ripped a RBI single,
Kaylee Oler reached on a fielder's choice bunt and Roulettwheeler came across to make it 3-0.
Alana Parsons then singled home a run and
Jaylyn Halliburton whacked a two-run single through the left side, concluding the scoring at 6-0 after two full.
The offenses went silent until the bottom of the fourth, when the Buffaloes tallied one more run on a sac fly by Secrist out to center, scoring Oler from third base. It was a 7-0 lead for MU entering the fifth inning.
Though Milligan allowed the Koalas to load the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth, they ended up allowing only a single run on a sacrifice fly, which cut the deficit to six runs for Columbia at 7-1.
Milligan would end things in the bottom of the sixth, as a two-out rally with Parsons at second base yielded RBI singles from Secrist and Roulettwheeler to end the game prematurely with a 9-1 Buffs' victory.
A total of 12 hits were managed by the Buffaloes' offense, as they saw two players record multiple knocks. Parsons (3-for-4, 2B, RBI, R) and Roulettwheeler (2-for-4, RBI, R) were responsible for the multi-hit days, while Vigil, Oler, Halliburton, Secrist, Johnson, Shoun and
Ashley Worley all had one hit. The entire lineup for the Buffs was able to notch at least one hit on the day.
Secrist's pitching performance included a season-high five walks, but through the adversity, Milligan saw her toss a six-inning complete game while allowing only five hits and one earned run with four strikeouts. She moved to 12-10 on the season with the triumph.
The Buffs (21-20, 14-12 AAC) have a date with the second-seeded Reinhardt University (Ga.) Eagles at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28. That game will serve as an opportunity for Milligan to reach the Quarterfinal Round unbeaten with a triumph.
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