(February 26^th) Millington, TN – After a long layoff, the Rich Mountain Bucks travelled just beyond Memphis to play in the Babe Howard JUCO Classic. The Bucks took on Glen Oaks CC in their first game Friday evening. After a shaky start, the Bucks would take the lead late and add insurance runs to win 13-6. The win evens the Bucks record at 4-4.

In the first inning, the Bucks would scratch across 2 runs. Chase Webb (El Dorado, AR) bunted for single to lead it off for the Bucks. He would advance to 3^rd base on a Daegan Covington (Taylor, AR) double. Luke Rice (Scott, AR) would plate Webb on a ground out to first base. Next at bat, Dan Taylor (Rogers, AR) hit his 1^st double of the game to score Covington. The lead was short lived as Glen Oaks plated 3 runs on some Bucks errors. James McCormick (Benton, AR) got the start on the mound for the Bucks.

After a scoreless 2^nd inning, Glen Oaks added 3 runs in the bottom of the 3^rd inning. After a homerun, Randy Little, Jr. (Pine Bluff, AR) came on in relief and surrendered 2 more runs. Before the inning was over, Grant Shankle (Van Buren, AR) came in to record the last out of the inning.

The Bucks got some offense going in the top of the 5^th inning. After a walk and a fielder's choice, Daegan Covington scored on a Dan Taylor RBI double. Taylor would steal 3^rd and scored on a error by the Glen Oaks' catcher in the next at-bat. The Bucks plated another run after a walk and single. Rylee Huie (Pottsville, AR) hit a RBI single that plated Luke Hindman (Sherwood, AR). Bucks trailed 6-5 after 5.

The Bucks would plate another run to tie the game in the top of the 6^th inning. After a walk and hit-by-pitch, Hindman would single to centerfield to plate Covington. In the top of the 7^th inning, the Bucks would take the lead and never give it back. Huie singled and was pinch ran for by Tristan Doucet (Lake Arthur, LA). After a walk, Doucet and Cole Clark (Clarksville, AR) would score on a Daegan Covington triple with 2 outs.

The Bucks added 5 insurance runs in the top of the 9^th inning. Back-to-back bunts by Mason Reynolds and Chase Webb put runners on the corners. Webb would steal 2^nd that allowed Reynolds to take home. Webb advanced to 3^rd base on a ground out. A walk lead to a RBI single by Dan Taylor that scored Webb. Next at-bat, Wesley Featherston (Hope, AR) picked up his first homerun of the season to left field and plated 3 runs. Cade Shrum (Greenwood, AR) came on in relief in the 8^th inning and recorded the last 4 outs of the game on the bump. Bucks win 13-6.

Picking up the win on the mound was Grant Shankle. He threw 5 innings of scoreless ball. He only surrendered 1 hit and struck out 4 hitters.

#GOBUCKS