(April 20, 2023) Tonkawa, Oklahoma - After dropping all four games in last week's region series with Western Oklahoma, the Bucks picked up a mid-week win over Arkansas Baptist on Tuesday before heading to Tonkawa this morning to begin a region series with the Mavericks. The Bucks enter the series 7-17 in Region II and are on the outside looking in at the Region Tournament with three series remaining. 

Game One

If a person enjoys offense, this game had plenty of it. Both teams combined for 26 hits in the contest and scored 27 runs. In the first three innings, the teams combined for 23 runs, and the Bucks held a 13-10 lead. The men put up a 10 spot in the top of the second inning, trailing 3-0 after one. The Bucks would score 3 more runs in the contest and pulled out a 16-11 win in seven innings.

Offensively, everybody in the lineup except one scored a run and picked up an RBI. Five Bucks batted in multiple RBIs in the contest and five recorded doubles in the contest. The Bucks were hit by a pitch 6 times in the game and stole 5 bases.

Casey Shipley (Prairie Grove, AR) picked up 3 RBIs, while Caleb Bryant (North Little Rock, AR), Trent Smith (Longview, TX), Kolby Webb (Cabot, AR), and Brett Justice (Jacksonville, AR) plated 2 RBIs in the game. Bryant, Smith, Webb, Justice, and Trevor Flake (North Little Rock, AR) all hit doubles. 

On the mound, Aden Almeida (Rogers, AR) came on to pitch in relief in the bottom of the second inning and went the rest of the way. Almeida (1-1) picked up his first win of the season, throwing 5.2 innings. The right hander pitched his way out of jams on the afternoon, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits. He would strike out 7 and walk 4 on the day.

Game Two

Once again, offense was aplenty in the second game of the doubleheader. Both teams combined for 17 runs on 24 hits. The Bucks came out hot in the opening frame, scoring a pair of runs, but the Mavericks would score 8 through three innings and held that lead after three. The Bucks plated a pair in the top of the fourth, and then put up a 4 spot to tie the contest in the top of the seventh inning at 8-8. The Mavs didn't go away and plated the winning run in the bottom half of the inning to take down the Bucks 9-8.

Jake Pannell (Fayetteville, AR) came on and pitched the final 5.0 innings. Pannell (1-5) allowed only 1 run on 2 hits and struck out 4. The Bucks did not walk a batter in the contest. 

Offensively, the Bucks outhit the Mavericks 13-11 and had five extra base hits on the day. Kolby Webb hit a home run and a RBI double in the game. Blake Ritter (Ashdown, AR) and Cooper White (Benton, AR) recorded doubles, while Caleb Bryant hit a triple. Bryant and Ethan Perry (Benton, AR) joined Webb in driving in a pair of runs. 

The Bucks are now 8-18 in Region II and will look to better their position in the standing on Saturday at Union Bank Field against the Mavericks. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm. 

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