MILLIGAN, Tenn. – The Milligan University softball program continued their 2026 slate on Friday afternoon, as they played host to the Union Commonwealth University (Ky.) Bulldogs on Anglin Field for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) doubleheader. After a dramatic conclusion to game one in a 7-6 win, the Buffaloes fell flat in the latter tilt, falling 8-2 to split the day.

Game one began with the Bulldogs being held off the scoreboard and the Buffaloes nabbing a run on double steal attempt with runners at the corners and one out. Vigil led off the inning with a single, and Alana Parsons reached base on an error, leading to the steal play that plated Vigil and retired Parsons at second, making it 1-0 Buffs.

Union Commonwealth got right back into the game in the second, though, as a solo homer with two outs tied the score at 1-1.

Milligan immediately regained the lead, as a two-out triple by Ashley Worley preceded a RBI single up the middle by Mollie Johnson, giving the Buffaloes a 2-1 advantage.

Two more Milligan tallies were added in the bottom of inning number three, as Vigil waked to start the frame. Then, a sacrifice bunt by Kaylee Oler advanced her to second. An error by the shortstop put Parsons at first and Vigil at third before Jaylyn Halliburton drove home Vigil on a RBI groundout to shortstop. With a 3-1 lead, a run-scoring infield single by Katelin Secrist brought home Parsons from third to cap the scoring in the inning. It was 4-1 after three full.

That is where the score would remain until the top of the sixth, when UCU notched their second solo homer of the game, making it 4-2.

The Buffaloes afforded the Bulldogs four tallies in the top of the seventh, as a two-run single with two outs tied the score and a wild pitch with a runner at third base gave UCU the lead at 5-4. An insurance tally with a RBI single made it 6-4 in the visitors' favor.

However, the Buffs would have something to say in the bottom of the seventh, as Vigil worked a walk to start the inning and Oler reached on a throwing error on a sac bunt play. That put runners at first and third with no outs. A double steal by Oler and Vigil brought Vigil across to make it 6-5, but the real damage was done soon thereafter, as Parsons lifted a moon shot to left-center field for a walk-off, two-run homer to seal a 7-6 win.

Milligan started game tow on the right foot, as Vigil and Oler reached base for Parsons again, and the star third baseman for the Buffaloes laced a two-run double on the ground into right-center field to make it 2-0 after one frame.

From there, nothing went well for the Buffs, as the top of the third saw four runs tallied by UCU on a two-RBI single, and a pair of RBI base hits, making it a 4-2 ballgame.

One more was put up by the visitors in the fourth, as a one-out RBI hit into center made it a 5-2 Bulldogs lead.

Milligan did not have another hit after the first until the bottom of the fifth inning, as their offense ground to a standstill. That was the only other hit that MU would provide in the loss, as a three-run homer in the top of the seventh put the icing on the cake for Union Commonwealth in a 8-2 victory.

Just nine combined hits were managed by the Buffaloes' offense, as Parsons (2-for-7, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R), Worley (2-for-6, 3B, R) and Johnson (2-for-5, RBI) were the only hitters with multiple knocks. Vigil, Oler and Secrist mashed the remaining three.

Secrist (6.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R (2 ER), 5 K, 2 BB) was strong in game one in the circle up until the seventh-inning woes, as she allowed only two runs on three hits through the contest's first six frames. She ended up being relieved by Sadie Shoun, who tossed 0.1 innings and ended up earning the winning decision to move to 1-2 after the walk-off round-tripper by Parsons.

Abigail Teubert (3 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 K, 2 BB) was tagged with the loss in the latter tilt, as Shoun (IP, H, ER, 2 K, 2 BB) and Secrist (3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 K, BB) relieved her in the loss.

Looking ahead, the Buffs (17-15, 12-8 AAC) will host the Bluefield University (Va.) Rams on Thursday, April 9. The doubleheader in AAC play begins at 2 p.m. on Anglin Field as the Buffaloes look for their first AAC doubleheader sweep since the home sweep of Bryan on March 13.