Millikin baseball’s home opener was not without adversity. The team dominated the first game against Coe College, then found itself on the opposite side.
In the first game, Millikin dominated early and often, winning 7-1. Caleb Buehrle was fantastic, throwing six innings allowing just one run.
“It’s nice to be home,” Buehrle said. “It’s fun to pitch on the road, but it will be very nice to here for a majority of the month.”
Buehrle threw eight strikeouts and only one walk. His season has started off nicely, as he is off to a 2-1 record.
“I landed the slider a lot better today,” he said. “Didn’t really have the curveball, but the changeup was good, so it neutralized some of the lefties. It was much better than last week, because it was a little rough having to deal with the free passes. I didn’t have to work around my own trouble.”
Sophomore Sam Bushur had a great first game as well, going 3-4 with an RBI. Senior Tommy Shaw and junior Liam McGill each added a pair of RBIs, helping Millikin to dominate.
However, the second game did not come without trouble.
After taking the lead early, Drew Detmers hit a rough patch, allowing seven runs through three innings. Millikin never truly recovered, losing 5-8.
However, the game did not come without bright spots.
The infield was showing off the leather, and the outfield was showing off their arms. McGill made a pair of ridiculous plays at shortstop, diving all over the infield. Shaw made a fantastic diving play at second base, and Gibson looked ready to claim another Gold Glove as he made an impressive over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory.
However, it was not enough to secure the win. Although Millikin battled back with RBIs from Bushur and a home run from senior Ryan Janssen, the team ultimately fell short, splitting the first day of the home opening weekend series.
The team returns to action with the finale of the series coming tomorrow with Landon Johnson getting the start for the Big Blue, as they look to secure the weekend victory.
