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University of Arkansas Rich Mountain

Bucks Take Season Series over National Park

Bucks Take Season Series over National Park
Game 2

Pitching

Win: Clint Lafferty (4-2)
Loss: Wesley Campbell (0-3)

Batting

UA Rich Mountain
2B: Ian Smith; Brett Justice; Caleb Bryant
3B: none
HR: Trace Watkins 2
National Park College
2B: Josh Lumsden; Mason Pankey; David Favrot
3B: none
HR: none
full stats

Game 1

Pitching

Win: Eli Hutcherson (7-3)
Loss: Austin Rainey (4-3)

Batting

UA Rich Mountain
2B: Trace Watkins
3B: none
HR: none
National Park College
2B: none
3B: none
HR: Jimbo Batchelor; Spencer Sensley
full stats
Posted: Apr 07, 2024

(April 6, 2024) Hot Springs, Arkansas - After run-ruling National Park on Thursday at Union Bank Field, the Bucks were looking to not only win the series, but were wanting to win the season series over the Nighthawks on Saturday at Majestic Park. Earlier this season, the Bucks took the first game of the series in Hot Springs, before splitting in Mena to get the series win, 2-1. 

Game One

The Bucks struggled to get the timely hit to start the day and dropped in the first game of the day to the Nighthawks. The men found themselves down 5-0 after a pair of innings, which would be the final score.

The Bucks out-hit the Nighthawks 5 hits to 4, but the Nighthawks used a pair of home runs to do their damage early in the game off starting pitcher Austin Rainey (Conway, AR). The bright spot on the mound was Camden Farmer (Paragould, AR). He would come in and throw 4.0 innings of no-hit ball to hold National Park at bay.

Offensively, a pair of men had 4 of the 5 hits for the Bucks. Sophomores Aiden McGinnis (Jasper, AL) and Brett Justice (Jacksonville, AR) both went 2 for 3 in the contest. 

Game Two

The Bucks wanted to rebound and take the season series after dropping the second game of the series, once again. The Bucks again were trailing after a pair of innings, but the offense woke up and exploded for a 7-run stop of the third inning to take the lead and never looked back, run-ruling National Park 16-5 in 7-innings. 

The Bucks collected 12 hits in the game, but none bigger than the two home runs by Trace Watkins (Sheridan, AR). The designated hitter hit a pair of no-doubt bombs for him to collect 4 RBIs in the game. These were his second and third home runs of the series. The sophomore drove in 9 RBIs in the three games against National Park. 

Ian Smith (Bismarck, AR) continues to lead the Bucks in RBIs and added 3 more to his resume. 

Riley Nicholson (Conway, AR) got the start on the mound and lasted 1.0 inning. Clint Lafferty (Seguin, TX) came in on relief for the second week in a row and went to work. Lafferty (4-2) pitched the final 6.0 innings, giving up 1 runs on 5 hits. He would strike out 3 on the day. 

The Bucks are now 17-19 overall, but more importantly 13-4 in region play. The men will play again on Thursday in West Memphis against region foe ASU Mid-South. The series concludes on Saturday, April 13th, with a doubleheader at Union Bank Field.

#DefendTheMountain