(March 2, 2021) Poteau, Oklahoma – Coming off 4 straight wins, the Bucks would travel to region foe Carl Albert State College to take on the Vikings in a mid-week game. The Bucks used 5 homers on the day to win 14-10. The Bucks and Vikings will battle it out in week 7 of the region schedule for seeding at the Region 2 Tournament in May.
The Bucks would start the game where they left off the day before, plating 2 runs in the top of the first inning. With 1 out, Cole Clark (Clarksville, AR) would single and advance to third on Wesley Featherston's (Hope, AR) double. Clark would score on a ground out by Luke Rice (Scott, AR). Dan Taylor (Rogers, AR) continued to stay hot and singled to plate Featherston. The Vikings plated 1 in the bottom half. Bucks led 2-1 after 1. Cason Brigham (Genoa, AR) got the start on the mound.
In the top of the second inning, the Bucks would hit 3 home runs and plate 6 runs. Back-to-back walks led to Chase Webb's (El Dorado, AR) 3-run home run. Clark got aboard again that setup Wesley Featherston's second homer of the year to plate 2 runs. Dan Taylor immediately followed with a solo shot of his own. But, the Vikings didn't go down quietly and plated 3 runs of their own. After 2, Bucks led 8-4.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Brigham was chased from the game. He was relieved by Keelan Hodge (Junction City, AR). Hodge would throw 4 innings of shutout ball. The Bucks were unable to plate any runs of their own in the same stretch until the seventh inning.
In the top of the 7th, Adam Quinn (Texarkana, TX) would reach on a 1 out single and advanced to third base on a error on the Vikings' pitcher. Quinn would plate on Rylee Huie's (Pottsville, AR) sacrifice fly to increase the Bucks lead to 9-4. In the bottom half, the Vikings would chase Hodge from the game, and the Bucks brought in Brayden Ross (Charleston, AR) to close out the inning. The Vikings scored 3 runs to cut the lead to 9-7.
The Bucks would get those runs back and then some. Webb would single before Cole Clark hit his first home run of the season. Not to get out done, Wesley Featherston hit his second homer of the day to increase the Bucks lead. With 2 outs and runners on the corners, Quinn would steal 2nd base before Rylee Huie would deliver on a 2 RBI single to left field. Ross got 2 ground outs and flyout to hold the Vikings scoreless. Bucks led 14-7 after 8.
After a scoreless top half, Ross gave up 3 runs, but the Bucks would win 14-10.
In the win, Keelan Hodge came on in relief and gave up 3 earned runs (all in the 7th inning) on 4 hits and struck out 2 while walking 1 in the outing. Brayden Ross threw 3.0 innings and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits.
#GOBUCKS