MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (February 9, 2007) --- The Milligan College softball team started the 2007 season with two wins Friday afternoon over NCAA division II foe Lees-McRae (N.C.) College at Anglin Field. The Lady Buffs won the first game 15-7 and capped off the sweep with a 3-2 win.

Game 1 Milligan 15 Lees-McRae 7

In the first game Milligan used a five-run first inning to take control, which was started by senior pitcher Brooke Dowdy (Bradenton, Fla.) and her two-run single.

Lees-McRae cut into the deficit in the top half of the second inning with a two-run home run off Jessica Kinsey’s bat.  

A two-run single from Mallory Tincher (Jacksonville, Fla.) capped a four-run second inning to make the score 9-2 in favor of Milligan.

The Lady Bobcats of Lees-McRae put another run on the scoreboard in the third and fourth innings. The top half of the fifth inning saw the Lady Bobcats score two runs off reliever Kayla Walker (Tracy, Calif.) and head coach Wes Holly brought Maegan Hambrick (Lexington, Ky.) to stop the Lady Bobcats’ momentum. Hambrick finished the inning after giving up one additional run and then struck the side out in the sixth inning to make the score 9-7.

With a two-run lead, the Milligan bats came to life in the home-half of the sixth inning. Senior Megan Aldridge (Johnson City, Tenn.) drove in the first three runs of the inning with her 15^th career home run. The Lady Buffs added three more runs to make the score 15-7 and the game was called by the mercy rule.

In the opening game, Holly Napier (Pennington Gap, Va.) went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while fellow Lee High School alum Laken Stewart (Pennington Gap, Va.) was 1-for-1 with two walks, three runs scored, stole a base and was hit by two pitches. Aldridge finished the game with two walks to go with her lone hit, her three-run home run. Jessica Blevins (Elizabethton, Tenn.) and Sarah Smith (Elizabethton, Tenn.) scored two runs each in the win.

On the mound, Dowdy picked up the victory after pitching three innings and allowing four runs, three earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Hambrick earned her first collegiate save with 1 2/3 innings of work on the mound. She gave up one run on three hits with three strikeouts.

Lees-McRae was led by Paula Fryer and her 3-for-4 performance while Salle Horner and Kinsey each delivered two hits a piece. Kinsey drove in three runs and scored two runs.

Game 2 Milligan 3 Lees-McRae 2 (5 Innings)

The Lady Buffs took an early 1-0 in the first inning lead when Stewart drew a walk then stole second base. She came home on Blevins’ RBI double.  Senior Leah Fritts (Knoxville, Tenn.) added another run in the second inning when Hambrick hit a ball back to pitcher Amanda Dodson and she was unable to make a play, resulting in a fielder’s choice and a run scored.  

Lees-McRae tied the game in the third inning 2-2.

Milligan scored the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Tincher drew a lead-off walk and Fritts followed her with a double. Pinch-hitter Melanie Strickler (Kingsport, Tenn.) hit a ball back to Dodson, and she was unable to record an out once again which allowed Tincher to score on the fielder’s choice.

Hambrick pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for her first collegiate win for the Lady Buffs. She gave up one hit in her relief appearance.

Fritts led the Lady Buffs’ offense with her 2-for-2 performance, which included a double, a run scored and a stolen base. Tincher went 1-for-1 at the plate with a walk and the game-winning run.  

For Lees-McRae, Dodson suffered the loss after giving up three earned runs on seven hits. At the plate Dakota Beck was 2-for-3.

Milligan will travel to play Walters State (Tenn.) Community College Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.