(May 18, 2021) Enid, Oklahoma – Coming off back-to-back wins to start the tournament, the Bucks looked to punch their ticket to the championship game against NOC-Enid at David Allen Memorial Ballpark Tuesday evening. The game started over three hours later than the scheduled start time due to earlier games going long and a weather delay.

The Bucks were the home team, and Randy Little Jr. (Pine Bluff, AR) got the start on the mound. He would give up a solo home run in the top of the first. The Bucks stranded a runner in the bottom half and trailed 1-0 after an inning.

Little worked a scoreless top of the second, and the Bucks were able to take the lead and then some in the bottom half. Wesley Featherston (Hope, AR) led off with a single. Two hitters later, Chase Webb (El Dorado, AR) singled, and Cole Clark (Clarksville, AR) then reached on an error that allowed Featherston to score. Next at-bat, Preston Lee (Maumelle, AR) hit a line drive double down the right field line to plate Webb from second. A 2-out walk loaded the bases before Daegan Covington (Taylor, AR) cleared the bases with a double to centerfield. Luke Rice (Scott, AR) then plated Covington on an RBI single to right field. After a walk, Rylee Huie (Pottsville, AR) hit an RBI single to right field. To close out the scoring for the inning, Featherston scored on an error to make it 8-1 after two innings.

In the top of the third inning, the Jets would score 6 runs to cut the Bucks lead to 8-7. Randy Little Jr. was chased from the game in the inning. Cooper Perry (Avinger, TX) and Keelan Hodge (Junction City, AR) came on in relief in the inning. Hodge was able to get the Bucks out of the inning with the lead.

After the Bucks went scoreless in the bottom half, the Jets tied the game on an inside the park home run to make it 8-8 in the top of the fourth. The Bucks did regain the lead in the bottom half with a run. With 1 out, Wesley Featherston doubled and would then score on Rylee Huie's RBI single to make it 9-8 after four.

Keelan Hodge worked a scoreless top of the fifth, and the Bucks had a big inning to end the game in the bottom half. After a walk and single, Wesley Featherston hit his second home run in two days, a 3-run shot to left field. Next at-bat, Rylee Huie hit a solo homer to left field. Back-to-back hit-by-pitches and a walk loaded the bases. Mason Reynolds picked up an RBI on a single before Isaac Price (Siloam Springs, AR) walked to plate another run. In the last at-bat of the game, Daegan Covington cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double to the left field corner. The three runs made it an 18-8 win for the Bucks in five innings.

Picking up the win on the mound, Keelan Hodge (3-0) pitched 2.2 innings, giving up 1 run on 1 hit with 2 strikeouts.

The win places the Bucks in the Plains District Championship game that is scheduled for Thursday at 11 am at David Allen Memorial Park in Enid, OK.

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