(March 8, 2023) Enid, Oklahoma - The new season has arrived the Bucks Baseball. The men travelled early this morning to David Allen Memorial Ballpark to take on NOC-Enid in their Region II opener. David Allen Memorial Ballpark is the host to the Region II Tournament that will be held in May. The Bucks enter the contest 5-7 on the young season, while the Jets enter the day at 9-10.

Game One

The Bucks found themselves in an early 10-0 hole after two innings of play and were looking to find a way to extend the game in the top of the fifth inning. Facing a run-rule, the Bucks found a way with a big inning and put themselves back in the ball game. The Bucks went through the lineup and turned it over again. In the inning, Ethan Perry (Benton, AR) led off the inning with an opposite field home run to kick it off, and later in the inning, he would hit a 2-RBI double to centerfield to pick up 3 RBIs in the inning. Other Bucks that produced in the inning were Cooper White (Benton, AR) with a RBI ground out, Casey Shipley (Prairie Grove, AR) walked to plate a run, and Trent Smith (Longview, TX) hit a 2-RBI single. The Bucks 7-run inning brought the game to 10-7 after five innings. 

In the sixth, the Bucks would once again show life and produced a pair of runs. Casey Shipley hit a RBI double to centerfield, and Trent Smith hit a RBI single to plate Shipley. However, in the bottom of the frame, Enid answered with a 2-run home run to regain momentum from the Bucks and eventually won 12-9 in seven innings. 

The Bucks used a pair of pitchers in the contest. Starter Deuce Yaksick (Frisco, TX) lasted 1.0 innings and took the loss (1-1). Aden Almeida (Rogers, AR) pitched the final 6.0 innings and recorded 4 strikeouts on the day. 

Game Two

The men wanted to continue their hot bats in the second game of the afternoon, but the Bucks were stifled, only getting 3 hits in the contest. Enid had a 4-0 lead after four innings and used a 5-run bottom of the seventh inning to break open the contest. The game ended in the bottom of the eighth inning with a solo home run. The Bucks fell 10-0 in eight and open region play 0-2.

A pair of Bucks got extra base hits in the contests: Cooper White and Trent Smith. 

Kirk Martinson (Shreveport, LA) got the start and lasted 4.0 innings, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits. He would strikeout 4 and walk 3 in the loss (0-2). Jackson Wilson (Palestine, AR) came on and pitched in the final 3.0 innings in relief. 

The Bucks and Jets conclude their series this Saturday with a doubleheader at Union Bank Field at McMillan Park. First pitch is scheduled for 12 pm. 

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