The Milligan Baseball team secured a three-to-one win in a four-game series against USC-Beaufort this weekend. They defeated the Sand Sharks twice on Friday while splitting the doubleheader on Saturday. Hopes for the Buffs’ 2022 season are high after this weekend’s win, as USC-Beaufort earned an at-large berth to the Opening Round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship last season.
Milligan got on the board early in Friday’s first game, caused by a two-out RBI double by Braden Spano. However, USCB took the lead 2-1 by the end of the first inning. Justin Greene emerged in the third inning, as he hit a single to plate a runner in from third base to tie up the game. Spano re-emerged in the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run to give the Buffs the 3-2 win. Pitcher Jacob Poe went 5.1 innings, allowing only three hits, and had four strikeouts. Chancery Hall took over in the bottom of the sixth.
The Buffaloes started the second game strong, scoring all their points in the first inning. Anthony Guzman scored off an erratic pitch, and Spano kept up his strong performance from the first game by hitting a double to bring home Justin Greene. The Sand Sharks scored in the bottom of the fifth but pitchers Andrei Beal and Brock Browning were too much for USCB to rally. Beal threw four scoreless innings, allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out eight. Browning closed the game by throwing three scoreless innings.
It was USCB’s turn to get on the board first in Saturday’s starting match, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. However, Chancery Hall gave Milligan some relief by hitting a three-run home run in the top of the fourth to give them a 3-1 lead. The Sand Sharks tied the score in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an error, a two-out RBI single, and a pair of walks. In the top of the seventh, Greene brought home Brandon Marello with a base hit to the right side, giving the Buffs a 4-3 lead. It was not meant to last as USCB managed to get two runners in at the bottom of the seventh to give the Sandsharks the 5-4 win. Starting pitcher Gaven Jones went four innings with three strikeouts. Preston Miller had two strikeouts, while Garrett Bowman had one.
In the final game, the Buffs jumped to a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning thanks to an RBI single by Andrew Mathis, and Mathias sneaking home after USCB tried to pick off Gaven Jones. Cade Davis brought Jones home to give the Buffs a 3-0 lead. The Buffs never looked back as a sac fly in the sixth by Hall scored them another point. The Sand Sharks’ lone run came in the bottom of the sixth to conclude the game, giving Milligan the victory 5-1 and clinching the series, three games to one.
The Buffs travel to Carson Newman Tuesday afternoon for some more non-conference action.
Headline Photo from Milligan Athletics Website