(March 8, 2021) Arkadelphia, Arkansas – After a long weekend in Morrilton, the Bucks loaded the bus and headed to Henderson State University to take on their JV squad. The Bucks would fall 7-6 and 4-3 in the twin bill.
Game 1
The Bucks got the scoring started in the top of the first inning. With 2 outs, Wesley Featherston (Hope, AR) would single and then score on Luke Rice's (Scott, AR) RBI double. Next at-bat, Rice scored on Dan Taylor's (Rogers, AR) RBI single. But, the Bucks would strand a couple to end the inning. In the bottom half, Randy Little, Jr. (Pine Bluff, AR) got the start on the bump and held HSU scoreless. Bucks led 2-0 after 1.
With 1 out in the 2nd inning, Preston Lee (Maumelle, AR) would single before Chase Webb (El Dorado, AR) was hit by a pitch. With 2 outs and 2 on, Featherston doubles to left field allowing Lee to score. But, that's all the Bucks could produce. Little once again threw a scoreless inning. Bucks 3 HSU 0 after 2 innings.
After a scoreless top half for the Bucks, HSU would hit an inside the park homer with 2 on to tie the game up at 3-3 after 3 innings. Both teams went scoreless in the 4th inning before the Bucks doubled their run total for the game. After 2 errors and a walk, Daegan Covington (Taylor, AR) would reach on an error to drive in Featherston. Next at-bat, Cole Clark (Clarksville, AR) would pick up an RBI on a walk. Three batters later and 2 outs, Mason Reynolds (Fort Worth, TX) would also walk to score another run. The 3 run lead was short lived. HSU added 2 runs off Little. Bucks led 6-5 after 5 innings.
The Bucks went scoreless in the top of the 6th. Ike Pelts (Lamar, AR) came on in relief for Little. A walk and hit-by-pitch in the inning would be costly. The Reddies picked up 2 runs to lead 7-6. The Bucks were unable to answer in the 7th and would fall to HSU JV.
In the start, Randy Little, Jr. pitched 5 innings and gave up 5 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits while striking out 6 and walking 2. Pelts took the loss in the save opportunity. He gave up 2 runs on 2 hits while striking out and walking 1 apiece.
Game 2
The second of the twin bill was a game of missed opportunities and a pitcher's dual through 5 innings. In those 5 innings, the Bucks stranded 6 runners, including grounding into a double play with the bases loaded in the top of the 5th.
On the hill, Cooper Perry (Avinger, TX) threw well in his 2nd start of the season. An error of his own in the 5th led to a 2 out single that plated a HSU runner. After another walk, Brayden Ross (Charleston, AR) came on in relief and gave up a 2 RBI single before recording the 3rd out. HSU leads 3-0 after 5 innings.
The Bucks responded in the 6th. Walks by Featherston and Taylor setup a pinch-hit 3 RBI homer by Brice Cagle (Sherwood, AR) to tie the game at 3-3, but Henderson would pick up a run on an error to lead 4-3 after 6. That would be the final score as the Bucks did not produce any offense in the top of the 7th.
In the start, Perry threw 4.2 innings giving up 3 runs (0 earned) on 3 hits and struck out 7, while walking 4. In the loss, Brayden Ross threw 1.1 innings giving up a run (0 earned) on 1 hit and striking out 2.
The Bucks are back in action on Thursday, March 11th, for a JV game vs. Williams Baptist in Walnut Ridge.
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