Milligan (Tenn.) University scored multiple runs in four of the last six innings on Wednesday afternoon in a 17-5 win over the University of Pikeville.  

The game was a preview of the competition the Bears will begin facing next season in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.  

Milligan (21-14) broke open a scoreless game by plating three runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. They added two in the seventh and one in the eighth before posting eight times in the final inning.  

UPIKE (16-17) trailed 9-2 when they came to bat in the bottom of the eighth. Freshman Hayden Hockett was hit by a pitch with one out, and sophomore Ryan Sartin followed with a walk.  

One out later, junior Tyler Maynard laced a single to center to score Hockett with the first run of the inning. After that, consecutive walks to junior Noah Helton, freshman Noah Brooks and junior Greg Lile got the Bears within striking distance at 9-5 heading into the ninth.  

But in the top of the ninth, the Buffaloes scored eight times on eight hits. Between the first and second outs of the inning, seven consecutive players reached base, six of them on singles, to blow the game open.  

The Bears managed six hits from six different players in the loss, highlighted by senior Demarco Miller's first home run of the season, a blast to right field in the sixth. In addition to that and Maynard's single in the eighth, both Helton and Brooks doubled while Sartin and Lile singled.  

Senior catcher Logan Hullette had the big day for Milligan, going 5-for-5 at the plate with a walk. He scored two, drove in two and doubled.  

Graduate student Casey Haire had three hits, drove in two and scored twice as the Buffaloes pounded out 18 hits.  

Ty Crall (4-2) was the pitcher of record for the Bears, throwing the first 5 innings.  

Junior Joe Ducharme threw 7 innings to get the win and improve his record to 4-1. He fanned three, allowed no walks, two runs and four hits.  

--UPIKE--