Lady Buffs work to battle back from key injuries

By Trey Williams
Press Sports Writer

MILLIGAN COLLEGE — Injuries have Milligan’s softball team down, but apparently not out. The Buffs bounced back from a 4-1 defeat in the opener Thursday for a 4-2 win and a doubleheader split with Tennessee Wesleyan.

It was the first Appalachian Athletic Conference loss for Tennessee Wesleyan (14-1, 21-13). Milligan improved to 14-4 in the league and 17-11 overall.

Sophomore Brandy Waddle pitched both games. None of her four runs allowed in the opener were earned, and the former David Crockett standout also upped her league-leading strikeout total to 94. She led the league with 125 strikeouts last year.

Waddle’s dominance, and endurance, have been more crucial since recent injuries to first baseman Brooke Davis (fractured foot) and pitcher-outfielder Ashley Fine, who will have an apparent achilles injury diagnosed today.

“Those are two horses and we can’t ride either one of them,” Milligan coach Wes Holly said. “Brooke’s not only my No. 4 hitter, she’s also a tremendous first baseman. And Ashley’s valuable pitching, in the outfield and she has good speed.”

Davis has missed 16 games. Chances of her returning by the league tournament, April 30-May 2 in Athens, are doubtful. Holly is more hopeful of getting Fine back by then.

Fine is 5-0 with a 2.27 ERA in 37 innings.

With Courtney Ruth struggling to be consistent, Waddle’s workload has increased significantly. Milligan plays six games between now and Sunday, and Holly said Waddle would likely pitch five of them.

“You don’t (have the wear on a shoulder like baseball),” Holly said. “But it takes unbelievable stamina and endurance to pitch that much. She’s up to 67 (mph) after throwing 60-61 (mph) last year, but with Ashley out she’s having to pace herself more.

“But Brandy wants the ball, she’s a competitor. And I have a lot of confidence in her.”

Milligan got a run in the first inning of game two when Carissa Ellis scored as TW mishandled the Buffs’ double-steal. Ellis also capped the Buffs’ two-run second inning when she beat out a ground ball that shortstop Shasta Gatlin bobbled. Erin Bowers and Danielle Gilley had base-hits and scored in the frame.

Bowers went 3-for-7 on the day after coming in hitting .425.

“And Erin Bowers is a freshman who didn’t know any of these pitchers,” Holly said. “I need some of the veterans to have her confidence and concentration.”

Waddle gave Milligan a 4-1 lead in fourth with a good two-out at-bat that led to a single to left field which scored Ruth, who’d doubled with two outs.

TW got within two thanks to Cyndi Gilpin’s triple to lead off the sixth, her second triple and third extra-base hit of the game. The Bulldogs also got the tying run to second that inning, before Waddle got pitcher Amy Taylor to fly out.

The doubleheader split between arguably the league’s top two teams had some intensity. Wesleyan coach Jeff Rice took exception to the velocity Holly used to throw a retrieved foul ball to Taylor on the mound, and wasn’t certain Taylor was looking when Holly turned it loose.

“You better make sure she’s looking if you’re going to throw it like that,” Rice said has he exited the dugout and approached the first-base line.

Holly walked a few steps toward the third-base line before responding with, “Get back in the dugout.”

The umpire followed by telling Rice that they were all four outs away from everyone going home happy.

“Not if (Taylor) has a broken nose we can’t,” Rice said. “That’s crap.”

The pair shook hands after the game — one onlooker joked to see who could squeeze the hardest — and Holly dismissed it all as the heat of a rivalry. He even credited Rice with putting together a solid squad.

“Jeff’s done a good job and he’s got a good ballclub,” Holly said. “They get a lot of junior college players. I feel like they are (the league’s best team) right now.

“They’re top five batters are tough. Now, they’re bottom four, I don’t think they had but one hit in two games over there against Brandy.”

The bottom four spots in the order for Wesleyan went 2-for-23 Thursday.

Holly is hoping for a dominant final month in the career of senior shortstop Andrea Henriott, who handled a difficult backhanded chance smoothly to save a run in the nightcap. She finished the day 1-for-6 with an RBI and a stolen base.

“Andrea’s a three-time all-conference who’s been a tremendous ballplayer for me,” Holly said. “She won the batting title as a freshman, finished second as a sophomore and last year she was all-region. She might be pressing a little bit with Davis out.”

Still, Henriott’s hitting around .390 with a team-leading 27 RBIs. Alyson Bowman has driven in 21 runs while Shelby Banion is third on the team with 18. Fine is hitting .333 and is 5-for-5 on stolen bases. She could return within three weeks.

“We need Ashley,” Holly said. “We miss her bat too.”

The attrition has also hurt the defense. Banion, the third baseman, is now at first base and seeing some spot duty pitching. And Davis has a good glove at first.

“With S helby at third and Brooke at first, I thought I had the best infield in the conference but now half of it’s missing,” Holly said. “We all know injuries are a part of athletics. Unfortunately, we’ve had a couple of good ones go down this year.”

Milligan visits Montreat today, hosts Brevard Saturday and travels to Virginia-Wise Sunday.

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About Milligan College

Milligan College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Northeast Tennessee, nationally recognized for its commitment to excellence in academic, social and spiritual development. The college has consistently been named one of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit www.milligan.edu or call 423.461.8719.

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