COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 3, 2019) – The hot streak continued for the Milligan College softball team Sunday as the Buffaloes defeated Columbia College twice, 3-0 and 2-1, in an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader.

The win moved Milligan to 5-7 (3-1 AAC) this season and improved the Buffs to 5-1 in the last six games. This same stretch has seen them post two shutouts and allow only five runs.

Buffs blank Koalas in game one
Freshmen Erin Forgety and Kendyl McCollister combined for a six-hit shutout in the opening game. Forgety went the first five innings, striking out seven, before McCollister closed the door over the final two frames. They both allowed only three hits and no walks.

Erica Roller hit an inside the park homer in the seventh, but Milligan scored twice in the fifth inning for what proved to be all that was needed. In fact, the fifth-inning rally began with two out and nobody on base. Roller started the scoring spurt with a single to right-center, and Neelee Griffith followed with an infield hit. After a Columbia error, Morgan Overholser drove the two runs in on a single to deep right-center.

Roller and Griffith both finished the first game 3-for-4. Kirstan Beaver also posted multiple hits with a 2-for-2 effort.

Butcher tosses complete game to complete sweep
Senior Kassi Butcher picked up right where Forgety and McCollister left off, throwing a complete game five-hitter as Milligan completed the sweep in game two. Butcher also walked none while striking out five in her third win of the season. Columbia did score first, in the bottom of the second, on a two-out double down the right-field line, but Milligan answered right back with two runs in the top of the third.

Madison Cook (via error), Savannah Nocera (via single) and Roller (via single) reached to lead the third inning off, and two runs came in minutes later on a Columbia error.

It proved to be all the scoring Milligan needed as Butcher went on to face only two over the minimum over the last five innings. Nocera (3-for-4) and Roller (3-for-3) were the three-hit Buffs. Karsten Miller went 2-for-3.

UP NEXT
Milligan hits the road this week for three road doubleheaders, first facing AAC foe Bryan College Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Dayton, Tennessee. After that, the Buffs will travel to Point University Friday and Reinhardt University Sunday.