MILLIGAN SWEEPS DOUBLEHEADER WITH SOFTBALL

Tusculum Pioneers MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. --- Milligan College (6-4) defeated the Tusculum College softball team (6-7) in both games of a doubleheader on Monday at the Milligan Softball Field, taking game one by a score of 1-0 before claiming the victory in the nightcap with a pair of runs in the sixth inning.

Alex Kimbrell, Ashley Burke, and Racheal Wilburn each had two hits for the Pioneers on the day. Lindsay Bridges made the start in game one and pitched six solid innings, allowing one run while recording two strikeouts. Junior Holli Cadenhead took the ball in game two and went the distance, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four Buffaloes.

Milligan's Jessica Fix and Jessica Russell each had three hits in the twin-bill, while Russell and Jessica Blevins each had one RBI. Sophomore Sidney Burns picked up the win in both contests, throwing a one-hit shutout in game one with 12 strikeouts, before pitching three scoreless innings in the nightcap to notch her second win of the day.

Game 1: Milligan 1, Tusculum 0


The first game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, when Milligan's Blevins drove in Fix with an RBI double to left center field for the contest's only run. Tusculum would threaten with a pair of base runners in the seventh before Burns struck out the last two batters of the inning to seal the victory.

Game 2: Milligan 2, Tusculum 0

Game two remained scoreless until the sixth inning when the Buffaloes capitalized on a TC error with two outs to score the first run of the contest on a single by Melanie Strickler. Russell then followed with an RBI double to right field which scored Strickler from second to push the lead to 2-0 heading into the seventh inning.

Tusculum's bats came to life in the top of the seventh, as Wilburn clubbed a leadoff single and Kimbrell dropped a double into left field to put runners on second and third and no outs for the Pioneers. Milligan then quieted the rally by forcing a pair of pop ups and a ground out to short to strand the runners and claim the 2-0 win.

The Pioneers return to the diamond on Thursday when they host No. 11 North Georgia College & State University (8-2) at Red Edmonds Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

- TC -