KINGSPORT, Tenn. — On Wednesday evening, the Milligan University softball team played a winners' bracket contest in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament at Brickyard Park in Kingsport. They went up against the tourney's No. 6 seed, the Truett McConnell University (Ga.) Bears. For the Buffaloes, it was not their best showing, as they fell in a five-inning run-rule game. The final score was 8-0.
Truett McConnell made their statement early, retiring the Buffs in the top of the first, even with a two-out triple given up to
Alana Parsons. Then, they put up three runs in the bottom of the frame. A run-scoring double, a RBI single and a groundout to push a run across made it a 3-0 lead for TMU.
The Buffaloes' main chance to score in the game came in the top of the third, when a single by
Haley Vigil and a walk by
Kaylee Oler with two outs put Parsons at the dish. She could not come through in that spot, as the Buffs stayed scoreless.
Another tally for the Bears would score on a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third to push the MU deficit to four runs at 4-0.
A trio of runs for TMU came in during the bottom of the fourth, as two hits and two errors ended up leading to the tallies. It was a 7-0 deficit after four full innings of play.
Milligan had two runners reach base again with two outs in the top of the fifth, but could not score, before Truett McConnell ripped a RBI single to walk off the Buffs in the bottom of the fifth by a final of 8-0.
The offense for MU included only three hits, with Parsons tallying a triple, Vigil whacking a single and Secrist looping a liner in-between third base and shortstop for a single.
Katelin Secrist was in the circle to start the game for Milligan, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk across 3.1 innings.
Bree Presnell pitched the final inning of the contest, allowing two unearned tallies on three hits.
The season will now continue with an elimination game against the team that the Buffs (22-21, 14-12 AAC) upset on Tuesday night, the No. 2-seeded Reinhardt University Eagles. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Brickyard Park.
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