Photo and article courtesy of Daniel Manget, Milligan Athletics

MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. - He needed only nine victories entering this season to do it, and for someone who averaged over 30 wins per season for the last 26 years, the Milligan (Tenn.) softball team knew it was only a matter of time before Head Coach Wes Holly reached the 800-win milestone. Under clear skies and one of the most beautiful days of this season, the 27th-year Milligan head coach won his 800th game with a doubleheader sweep of Hiwassee College, 11-0 and 10-0, Saturday afternoon on Anglin Field.

"I'm very honored to have reached (800 wins) here," Holly said. "It's a great coaching milestone and I'm very proud of it, but give all the credit to the girls who have played for me over the last 27 years. It would not have been possible without them. I appreciate all their effort toward the wins and all that they've done for our program."

Holly is third all-time among active NAIA coaches with a record of 800-462 (63.4%). He is also a seven-time TVAC and AAC Coach of the Year, two-time NAIA District Coach of the Year, and a 2014 Carter County Sports Hall of Fame inductee. Holly has coached the Buffaloes to nine 30-win seasons, including a program record 43-win season in 1992. He has led Milligan softball to seven regular season titles and two conference tournament titles.

In Saturday's doubleheader, Holly's Buffs (9-5, 6-2 AAC) scored early and often on the way to the sweep. Jessica Wheelock got the scoring going by scampering across home plate on a wild pitch with one out in the first, and Ashley Arnold and Kimberly Robinson followed with extra base hits to put the first game away.

Arnold crushed a two-run double over the head of Hiwassee centerfielder Ashley Inves later in the first inning before Robinson smacked a three-run homer with one out in the second. From there, starting pitcher Meghan Nicol, the reigning AAC pitcher of the week, could have put it on cruise control if she hadn't been already. Nicol breezed through the first three innings without allowing a hit, and needed only 40 pitches to complete her four innings of work. Nicol went through the top half of the first with three strikeouts on 10 pitches, then followed with a three-pitch strikeout to lead off the second.

Nicol (3-3) struck out five, didn't allow a walk or a run while conceding only two hits. She was relieved in the fifth by Sierra Plese who threw 11 pitches and struck out two in a perfect inning of work.

Jessica Goodson and Robinson picked up in game two right where Nicol and Plese left off in game one, combining for a no-hitter in the five-inning game. Goodson fired the first four innings and allowed only one base runner, who was out on the base path when Arnold and Makenzie Lilley turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the fourth.

Robinson sat the last three down on 11 pitches in the final inning. She struck out two.

Milligan scored runs in the middle innings in game two, powered by a Lindsey Keys two-run single in the third and a Lilley two-run double in the fourth. The pair finished the nightcap with two hits apiece, and every member of the Milligan lineup, with the exception of Goodson who drew a walk, recorded at least one base hit.

Milligan will return to action for an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader against Truett-McConnell (Ga.) (10-14, 1-3 AAC) on Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. This will continue the current 10-game homestand for the Buffaloes.