By: Catelyn Radeck
The Lady Buffs fell to the Virginia Intermont Cobras 14-2 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference championship game on Friday afternoon at Domtar Park in Kingsport, Tenn. Milligan had advanced to the championship by defeating the tournament’s top-seeded Reinhardt University Eagles, eliminating the two-time defending tournament champion, 7-6 .
In the championship, senior Camille Olvey from Maryville, Tenn., scored in the top of the first inning on a Lady Cobra wild pitch. But Virginia Intermont scored eight runs in the next two innings to take an 8-1 lead into the third inning.
Jessica Connaster, also from Maryville, led off the fourth inning with a triple and scored when Jessie Wheelock singled. Virginia Intermont came back to assure the win with six runs in the bottom of the frame.
Seniors Emily Biggs, Abby Hughes and Olvey were all 1-for-2 at the plate, as well as underclassmen Wheelock and Connaster. On the mound, junior Chancli Connaster from Maryville was handed the loss as she allowed seven earned runs on five hits.
In the semifinal, the Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but the Buffs answered in the third inning as Lindsey Keys, from Johnson City, scored off of Olvey’s single. The Lady Buffs’ Catherine McGinnis drove Biggs and Olvey to score, and Hughes bunted Krista Lambdin across the plate to give Milligan a 4-1 lead.
The Eagles started to rally with a solo home run in the fourth inning, but Biggs scored off a Hughes sacrifice fly to extend Milligan’s lead in the next inning. Jessica Connaster drove in Lambdin and McGinnis to give Milligan a 7-2 lead after five innings. The Eagles scored two in the sixth inning and another run in the seventh. Lady Buffs Lambdin and Jessica Connaster snagged two fly balls to bring in the victory.
Biggs went 2-for-4 at the plate, while McGinnis was 1-for-3 with two runs batted in. Highes and Jessica Connaster finished the game with two RBIs. On the mound, Chancli Connatser earned the win as she permitted six earned runs on 11 hits and four strikeouts.
The Lady Buffs finished their 2013 season with a record of 15-22.
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