Milligan College Buffaloes

Milligan College, Tenn. (March 1, 2009) --- Over the weekend, the Milligan College baseball team (9-3, 2-0) defeated Virginia Intermont in their first AAC matches for the season. On Friday, Feb. 27, the Buffs won 8-3. On Sunday, the Buffs battled the inclement weather to overcome the Cobras 12-2. The second game of Sunday's double header was cancelled due to the weather and will be made up at a later date.

Friday's win was attributed to junior Shawn Ray (York, S.C.) , who started on the mound for the Buffs and pitched seven innings. Ray recorded four strikeouts.

Relieving Ray for one inning each was junior Mike Gallo (Peabody, Mass.) and junior Frank Newcombe (Knoxville, Tenn.) . Newcombe closed the game and recorded one strikeout.

Junior Dallas Crouch (Jefferson City, Tenn.) went 2-4 at the plate with two RBIs, one run, one walk, and a double. Senior Justin Motte (Johnson City, Tenn.) went 2-3 with two runs, two walks, one RBI, and a double. Junior Randy Rabon (Rock Hill, S.C.) went 2-2 with two walks, one run, one RBI, and a double.

Sunday's 12-2 victory was hard fought by the Buffs due to inclement weather. The score was 2-1 until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Buffs scored three runs to take the lead and secure the win in six innings.

Junior Colin Duffie (Calhoun, Ga.) pitched four and two-thirds innings with no runs. Sophomore Jason Trivett (Bristol, Tenn.) closed the game pitching one and one-third innings and picking up a save.

Leading the bat for the Buffs was sophomore Dustin Ford (Jonesborough, Tenn.) going 2-3 with three RBIs, one walk, and a single to leftfield with bases loaded to end the game. Rabon went 2-3 with two RBIs, two walks, and a double.

“It was good to come out and get two conference wins,” said Head Coach Nathan Meade. “Any kind of momentum we can generate early in the conference schedule is a big plus. The weather conditions weren't ideal, but the guys battled through it.”

The Buffs play in a double header against Warner Southern in Lake Wales, Fla., on Tuesday, March 3. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.