MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (February 10, 2007) —Milligan College’s Buffalo baseball team opened the 2007 season splitting a non-conference doubleheader against No. 26 Union College.  The Bulldogs of Union took the first contest 9-3, as Milligan took the second game by a score of 3-2. Both the Buffs and the Bulldogs now share a record of 1-1 after the doubleheader. Nathan Meade won his first game as head coach of the Buffaloes with the Milligan victory in game two of the doubleheader.

Game 1 Union 9 Milligan 3

The first action of the game would come in the top of the second inning, as Union was able to score three runners to take the lead 3-0. They would add two more runs in the third before Milligan put up their first run of the game.

A Justin Sauceman (Alcoa, Tenn.) single scored Garrett Reed (Gray, Tenn.) and Baker DeCamp (Miami, Fla.) in the bottom half of the third inning to make the score 5-2.

Union added four insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings to put the game out of the Buffs’ reach. Milligan scored their final run with a sacrifice fly from DeCamp to bring in Jeremy Dulgar to make the final score 9-3.

Senior Brett Seybert (Columbiana, Oh.) takes the loss for Milligan, as he pitched four innings and gave up five runs on four hits. Mark Parsons pitched six plus innings, and gave up three runs on seven hits, as well as recording five strikeouts.

In the opening game, Reed and DeCamp each went 3-for-4 with one run and one double apiece.

Matt Mahony, Justin Hart and Josh Ehringer each contributed two hits in Union’s win. Mahoney and Hart each crossed the plate twice in the game.

Game 2 Milligan 3 Union 2

After a scoreless first inning, the second inning saw Bulldog batters retired in quick succession, as Milligan would take the plate and battle for a run. The Buffs caught a break beginning with a walk to Ricky Morgan (Johnson City, Tenn.). Morgan would advance to second and third after two wild pitches. Morgan would score from a single courtesy of freshman Danny Bacon (St. Petersburg, Fla.) to put the Buffs on top by one. Momentum was a good fit for Milligan, as they would score another run behind a RBI single from Sauceman to bring in Bacon.

With Milligan ahead 2-0 going into the top of the third, Union batters worked to counter the Buffs’ scoring snap. David Fairbanks reached base on a walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He then moved up to third after another single. Fairbanks would take advantage of a wild pitch to bring the score to 2-1. Joe Grinstead would come to the plate for the Bulldogs and reach base by way of a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch. He would come to third and finally score behind a Kevin Ramos single.

Seeking to regain the lead, Buffalo batters went to plate in the bottom of the fourth with resolve. Todd Sangid (Johnson City, Tenn.) would reach base on a fielder’s choice and continue to advance the bases until crossing the plate after an RBI single from Milligan’s Ben Huff (Bristol, Tenn.). The run would place the Buffs in the lead, 3-2.

Nathan Fritz (Kingsport, Tenn.) made quick work of the Bulldog lineup in the fifth, as the batters returned to the dugout behind three consecutive fly-outs. The sixth inning would be equally successful, as both teams were unable to score. 

Returning to the mound for the complete game, Fritz ended the contest with a strikeout and two groundouts, allowing the Buffs to hold on to the one-run lead for a final score of 3-2.

Fritz scattered three hits and gave up two runs over the seven innings of play, including five strikeouts, for his first win at Milligan. 

Marty Popham is charged with the loss after pitching 3 2/3 innings and giving up three runs and six hits.

Milligan’s Reed would finish game two by going 2-for-3, followed by Sauceman at 2-for-4. Huff would go 1-for-2 with a walk in the game.

Matt Brady, Ramos and Grinstead each had a hit for the Bulldogs in the second contest.

The Buffs will travel to Carson-Newman College on Feb. 15. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.