Buffs finish Lambuth with walk-off homerun

Elizabethton, Tenn. (Feb. 8, 2009) --- After an arduous opening weekend playing Lambuth University three times in two days, the Milligan College men's baseball team came out on top, taking two out of three from the Eagles. Sunday morning the Buffs fell to the Eagles 6-4, then defeated them in storybook fashion 4-3 in extra innings to finish the doubleheader.

Sunday's first game was close to the end, with junior Mike Gallo (Peabody, Mass.) not giving up a run until the fifth inning. With the score at 4-3 in the Buffs' favor, sophomore Jason Trivett (Bristol, Tenn.) arrived to close out the game in the seventh inning, but was attributed with the loss after the Buffs could not answer Lambuth's three-point rally.

Junior Eric Oxley (Ardmore, Tenn.) was two-for-three at the plate with a three-run homerun in the sixth inning.

Solid pitching from junior Frank Newcomb (Knoxville, Tenn.) began Sunday's game two at the Elizabethton Twins Stadium. Newcomb pitched four innings, allowing one run, four hits, and tallying two strikeouts—including the game's leadoff batter.

The Buffs' offense was wide and deep, as several players contributed to the victory. Senior Spencer Street (Johnson City, Tenn.) led off the game with a homerun, and was three-for-four at the plate overall with two singles. Senior Brandon Murphy (Johnson City, Tenn.) hit two-for-three with a walk, while Oxley was three-for-four at the plate.

Senior Brian Busby (Lexington, S.C.) hit two-for-four with a double and a single, and junior Kendall Williams (Dillon, S.C.) contributed the walk-off homerun in the eighth inning to win the game for the Buffs.

The Buffs' defense was also effective, with the infield turning three double plays in the first half of the game.

“We battled whether we were up or down,” said Head Coach Nathan Meade. “We threw the ball well, we hit the ball well, and we challenged hitters. We just need to work on getting runners in that are in scoring position. It's something to build on, one game at a time."

The Buffs battle Roanoke College Monday, Feb. 9 at home. The game is set to begin at 2 p.m.