GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Milligan College softball team survived a furious late-inning rally in game one, and held Tusculum College to four hits in the night cap en route to a doubleheader sweep against the Pioneers on Wednesday evening at Red Edmonds Field. Milligan out-lasted Tusculum 6-5 in the opener before taking game two by a score of 3-0.
Milligan (24-11) and Tusculum (14-22) each tallied 14 hits in the twin-bill, as the Buffalos concluded game one with an 11-10 edge while the Pioneers out-hit MC 4-3 in the night cap. Tusculum's Taylor MacDonald went 4-for-5 with two walks in the twin-bill, while Milligan's Camille Olvey recorded three base knocks for the Buffalos.
Ellyn Sapp drove in two runs to lead a group of six Buffalos with at least one RBI. Olvey paced a group of six Milligan players with multi-hit evenings as Emily Biggs, Abby Hughes, Megan Heaton, Jessica Russell and Jessica Fix each recorded a pair of base knocks. Hughes and Russell each scored two runs to pace the Buffalos.
Ryann Musick (10-4) made the start for Milligan in game one, leaving in the seventh after allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits and striking out five batters in six innings of work. Rachel Ingleby closed out the win in the opener, allowing one run on one hit in an inning of work. Sidney Burns (13-6) threw a complete game shutout in game two, scattering four hits and striking out seven in seven innings of work.
MacDonald paced the Pioneers with four hits, driving in a run and scoring another. Lynnsey Jett and Ashley Burke each tallied a pair of base knocks as Racheal Wilburn led Tusculum with two RBI. Holli Cadenhead (6-10) made the start in game one, allowing three earned runs on seven hits in five innings of work. Erin Searcy allowed a pair of unearned runs in two innings of relief.
Elizabeth Johnson (2-3) got the nod in game two, allowing three runs on three hits in three innings of work. Searcy entered in relief in the fourth, keeping the Pioneers within striking distance with four no-hit innings.
Game One: Milligan 6, Tusculum 5 (Box Score)
Tusculum struck first in game one, pushing across the evening's first run in the second on an RBI double by Burke that allowed Shanda Kimbrough to score from first. Milligan answered with a pair of runs in the third as Russell and Fix each tallied an RBI single to give the Buffalos a 2-1 lead.
The Buffalos tacked on two runs in the fifth to push the margin the 4-1 before the Pioneers started the rally in the bottom of the frame, cutting the lead to 4-2 on an RBI single by Phlyscia Powell. Milligan responded with a pair of runs in the seventh, stretching the lead to 6-2 on a two-run single by Sapp.
Tusculum made a furious charge in the bottom of the seventh, cutting the lead to 6-5 with a trio of quick runs on an RBI single by MacDonald and a two-run double by Wilburn to trim the margin to one with no outs. Ingleby then shut the door, retiring the final three batters of the inning to quell the rally and preserve the one-run win.
Game Two: Milligan 3, Tusculum 0 (Box Score)
Burns was the story of game two, holding the Pioneers to four hits and stranding four runners in scoring position en route to a complete game shutout. Milligan took an early 1-0 lead in the second, pushing across the game's first run on an RBI groundout by Burns.
The Buffalos added to the lead with two runs in the third, pushing the margin to 3-0 on an error and a passed ball. Burns faced her biggest test in the fifth as the Pioneers loaded the bases with two outs before Burns ended the inning with a clutch strikeout.
Tusculum returns to the diamond on Saturday when the Pioneers travel to Newberry, S.C. to conclude their South Atlantic Conference schedule with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Newberry College.
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