Milligan splits twin-bill with Lenoir Rhyne

from staff reports

   Milligan and Lenoir Rhyne battled the rain and darkness to split a doubleheader in baseball action Thursday afternoon, with the Buffaloes winning by a 5-2 score and the Bears taking an 8-4 decision.
   The Buffs improve to 3-1 and Lenoir Rhyne remains one game over .500 at 5-4.
   Milligan scored all five runs in the fifth inning to beat Lenoir Rhyne in the first game of the doubleheader.
   Brad Hitch led off the bottom of the fifth with his first home run of the season, pulling Milligan within a run at 2-1. He finished with two hits in the game.
   Dustin Price tied the game with a two-out single past the driving shortstop scoring Nathan Meade from second base. Cleanup hitter Ben Whittemore followed with a soft single to center, scoring Scott Shealy to enable Milligan to take the lead, 3-2.
   Lenoir Rhyne made a pitching change bring the left-hander Matt Howell to face the left-handed hitting Richard Markland. Coach Danny Clark went to his bench, bringing Keith Hawkins to pinch-hit for Markland. He promptly found the left-center gap, scoring two runs to put the game out of reach for the Bears, 5-2.
   Junior Todd Speas worked the first five innings on the mound, picking up his first win of the season. He allowed five hits and two runs over the five innings.
   Closer Aaron Wallus pitched the seventh inning to pick up the save, his second of the season. He struck out one and walked one in the four batters he faced.
   The Bears jumped on the scoreboard in the second inning with back-to back doubles from J.R Hopf and Matt Wiley. Dustin Day added a RBI single in the fifth inning for the second Bears run.
   Bears starting pitcher Brent Yates working 4.2 inning allowing five runs, only one earned run and five hits. He falls to 1-2 on the young season. Matt Howell tossed the final 1.1 innings allowing three hits, but no runs.
   John Verdinek broke up a tied game in the top of the fifth inning with a grand slam homer with two out off Jacob McAllister to put Game 2 away for the Bears. He finished with two hits and four RBIs.
   J.R. Hopf finished the game with three hits and two run scored to help.
   Freshmen Andrew Cooper pitched six innings to pick up his first college win. He allowed seven hits while striking out seven.
   Scott Shealy led the charge for the Buffs going 1 for 3 with two runs scored. Price was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Chris Shockley picked up the loss for the Buffaloes.