(March 5, 2021) Morrilton, Arkansas – The Bucks travelled to Morrilton High School to face the Mineral Area Cardinals in a weekend series. The Bucks and Cardinals matched up in Millington, TN, but the game ended in a 2-2 lightning delay after the 2nd inning.
Morrilton's own, Maddox Long, got the start on the bump for the Bucks and shutout the Cardinals in the top half of the frame. The Bucks struck first in the bottom half. With 1 out, Mason Reynolds (Fort Worth, TX) reached on an hit-by-pitch. Reynolds took 2nd and advanced to 3rd base on an error. He would score on a pass ball to put the Bucks ahead 1-0 after 1 inning.
The Cardinals tied it up in the top of the 2nd inning on a leadoff solo home run. But, the Bucks couldn't answer and recorded three strikeouts to end the 2nd. Both teams would put up 2 runs a piece in the 3rd inning. With 2 aboard, Reynolds singled to setup Daegan Covington's (Taylor, AR) RBI single to right field. The Bucks would plate another on a Dan Taylor (Rogers, AR) walk. The game was knotted at 3.
After a scoreless 4th inning, the Cardinals picked up a run. Long was chased before recording an out. James McCormick (Benton, AR) came in on relief and held Mineral Area to a lone run. The Bucks would answer with 2 runs of their own in the bottom half. With runners on 2nd and 3rd and nobody out, Dan Taylor would single on a line drive to centerfield to plate Reynolds and Covington. But, the Bucks would strikeout twice to end the inning.
The Bucks lead was short lived. Off McCormick, the Cardinals would plate 2 runs in the top of the 6th inning and held the Bucks scoreless. He would hold Mineral Area scoreless in the top of the 7th. The Bucks would need a run to send the game into extra innings but 2 runs would win it.
Mason Reynolds would reach on an error to start the inning. He stole 2nd and took 3rd with 1 out. However, back-to-back strikeouts would end the game. Cardinals win 6-5.
In the start, Maddox Long pitched 4 innings giving up 4 runs on 6 hits. He would strikeout 7 and walk 5 in the outing. In his first relief appearance, James McCormick took the loss with 3 innings pitched. He gave up 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 6 and walking 3.
The Bucks and Cardinals play again tomorrow at noon at Devil Dog Yard in Morrilton.
#GOBUCKS