Milligan University

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Thursday afternoon brought along an opportunity for the Milligan University softball team to extend their stay at the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament with a victory over the No. 2-seeded Reinhardt University Eagles in a rematch of Tuesday night's upset triumph to put the Eagles in the losers' bracket. Unfortunately, this time around, the Buffaloes squandered an early lead to fall 11-8 and conclude their season.

Milligan grabbed the game's first tally right off the bat in the top of the first, as a leadoff single by Haley Vigil came around to score on a sac bunt by Kaylee Oler. No one covered third base on the play, and the throw went wild past the bag as Vigil raced to third. That allowed her to score and make it a 1-0 MU lead.

After stranding a pair of Eagles runners in scoring position in the bottom of the first, Milligan came through with a potent top of the second, scoring five times. After a single by Jordan Roulettwheeler, Mollie Johnson mashed a RBI double to left-center field to give MU a 2-0 lead. Then, Sadie Shoun delivered a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third. A Lily Frazier bunt single then scored Shoun to push the score to 3-0. Following a Ashley Worley single, a throwing error on a stolen base attempt by Frazier allowed her to come around third and score the fourth MU run. Lastly, Alama Parsons whacked a two-run single to score Worley and Oler to make it 6-0.

Reinhardt finally got on the board with a pair of RBI singles to cut into the deficit, trailing 6-2 after two full frames.

The Eagles got a pair of runs again in the bottom of the fourth inning. A run-scoring double down the left-field line and a sacrifice fly put the score at 6-4 in the higher seed's favor with three innings left to go.

The bottom of the fifth frame is where the wheels fell off the wagon for the Buffs. Reinhardt scored a total of seven tallies in the inning on six hits and one Milligan error. A RBI triple that resulted in two runs via a throwing error that went past the catcher tied the game. Then, a pair of RBI singles, a sac fly and a two-run single back up the middle put the Eagles up 11-6.


After a quiet sixth, the Buffaloes faced a five-run deficit. They were able to start the seventh with a single from Worley and a double by Vigil. Then, a sacrifice bunt that brought home a run by Oler made it 11-7. Parsons then smacked a single to left to drive in another and put the Buffs behind by just three with one out at 11-8. That was all the MU offense could muster, however, as they fell by the 11-8 final tally.

Parsons led the way for the Buffs, notching a 3-for-4 day at the plate with a trio of runs batted in and a double to her credit. Vigil and Worley also had two knocks apiece, while only two hitters in the lineup did not have a base hit for the Buffaloes in their loss. Oler, Roulettwheeler, Johnson and Frazier all chipped in with one.

Bree Presnell (5.2 IP, 5 R (2 ER), 9 H, K, 2 BB) began and finished the game in the circle, as she was lifted to begin the fifth inning in favor of Katelin Secrist (0.1 IP, 6 ER, 4 H, 2 BB), who had a tough outing before handing the ball back to Presnell.

The Buffs (22-22, 14-12 AAC) have ended their season with an inspiring run through the AAC Tournament, as they upset the No. 2-seeded Reinhardt for their final win of the campaign. They now will look to build upon their strong base and build for the 2027 season, with their sights set on competing for the conference title next season.