(March 17, 2023) Mena, Arkansas - Not having the weekend they wanted to start region play last week, the Bucks wanted to change things this week in a series with Carl Albert State College. Coming into the series, both teams are 1-3 in Region II. The Bucks begin the day 6-11 on the season, while the Vikings were 6-15 before the doubleheader.
Game One
The Bucks didn't get the start they wanted in the 7-inning game. After a 2-out error in the top of the first, the Vikings scored 2 runs in the intial frame and held that lead into the fourth. After Carl Albert added another in the top of the fourth, the Bucks offense woke up and gave starting pitcher Deuce Yaksick (Frisco, TX) some run support and the lead. With 1 out and a runner on in the bottom half, Casey Shipley (Prairie Grove, AR) hit a no doubt home run over the left field wall to plate the Bucks first runs of the game. After a double and 2 outs, Ethan Perry (Benton, AR) singled to right field to even the game. Next at-bat, Brett Justice (Jacksonville, AR) reached on a error that plated Perry to make it 4-3 after four innings.
Yaksick continued into the sixth inning with the lead and gave up a run in the top of the frame and came back out in the seventh. After an out, he gave up a single and a hit-by-pitch before his day was done in 6.1 innings of work. Jackson Wilson (Palestine, AR) entered the contest and retired the only 2 hitters he faced to give the Bucks a change in the bottom half.
Brett Justice came through with a lead off triple to bring sophomore Blake Ritter (Ashdown, AR) to the plate. With the infield in, Ritter singled into right field to walk it off for the Bucks, 5-4.
Deuce Yaksick picked up the no decision on the day. His final line was 4 runs (2 earned) on 15 hits and struck out 3. Jackson Wilson (3-0) got the win, facing only 2 hitters and throwing 6 pitches.
Game Two
Wanting to win both on the day, the Bucks found themselves down 1-0 after the top of the first inning, but the Bucks plated a pair of runs in the first and 5 more in the bottom of the second. In the bottom of the first, Brayden Sites (Sheridan, AR) hit a sac fly to open the Bucks scoring. Next at-bat, Casey Shipley grounded out to the right side to give the Bucks a 2-1 lead. The Vikings regained their lead in the top of the second before the Bucks put up a crooked number in the bottom of the frame. After a lead off walk and single, Brett Justice singled to centerfield to pick up the RBI.. After 2 outs, Cooper White (Benton, AR) hit a RBI single before Brayden Sites hit a 3-run bomb over the left centerfield fence to give the Bucks a 7-3 lead after two innings.
The Bucks never trailed again. The Vikings plated a pair in the top of the fourth, which would be their last runs and hits in the contest. The Bucks plated a run in the bottom of the fifth on on a Trent Smith (Longview, TX) ground out and had another big inninng in the bottom of the seventh. Brayden Sites led off with his second home run of the day. With 2 outs and a pair of runner on, Brett Justice continued his day with a pair of RBIs on a double to left field. Next at-bat, Blake Ritter tripled to right field to get his second RBI of the afternoon to give the Bucks a 12-5 lead, which would be the final score.
The story of the day was Jackson Wilson on the mound. After getting the win in the first game, he entered the second game in the third inning with 1 out and never looked back. The left hander wouldn't give up a hit on the day and finished the game on the mound. Wilson (4-0) picked up his fourth win of the season in his 5.2 innings of work. He would strikeout 7 and walk a pair on the day, getting both wins and faced only 21 hitters on the day.
Kirk Martinson (Shreveport, LA) got the start and lasted 3.1 innings. The freshmen right hander gave up 5 runs on 9 hits, striking out 3 and walking 2 in the outing.
The Bucks will be going for the series win tomorrow afternoon in Poteau, OK. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm at Mark Pollard Park on the campus of Carl Albert State College.
#DefendTheMountain