(February 25th) Mena, Arkansas – On a windy and cool Thursday afternoon, the Bucks took on Crowder College at Cummings-Cecil Field at McMillan Park in a doubleheader. The Bucks fell in both games, 12-2 and 20-3.
Game 1
Gracie Kimbrell (North Little Rock, AR) got the start in the circle for the Bucks. She would hold the Roughriders scoreless in the top of the 1st inning, and the Bucks would be shut out as well. Crowder got the scoring going and produced 2 runs in the top of the 2nd, but the Bucks would respond. Maddi Miles (Jonesboro, AR) would single to left field before stealing 2nd base. She would score on Hannah Hunter's (Malvern, AR) RBI double. But, she would be stranded by 3 straight strikeouts. Crowder led 2-1 after 2 innings.
Crowder bats continued to stay hot in the top of the 4th. The Roughriders scored 4 runs that was highlighted by a leadoff solo homerun off Kimbrell. However, Kimbrell would strikeout the same batter with bases loaded to end the inning. The Bucks produced a run of their own in the bottom half. Madelynn Lacaze (Union Grove, TX) would lead off with a triple and score on a sacrifice fly by Kristen McMillan (Winnsboro, TX). But, the Bucks would have back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. Crowder led 6-2 after 3.
Brooke Detommaso (Las Vegas, NV) would come on to pitch for the Bucks to start the 4th inning, and she held the Roughriders scoreless in the inning. The Bucks couldn't produce any offense as well. The Roughriders would scratch 2 more runs in the top of the 5th (all with 2 outs) and held the Bucks offense at bay. Crowder would score again top of the 6th inning. For the Bucks, Kimbrell reached on a single, before pinch runner Avery Cotten (Longview, TX) stole 2nd. However, that is where she would stay. The Bucks struck out twice to end the inning. Crowder leads 9-2.
In the top of the 7th inning, Crowder had bases loaded with 2 outs and hit a base clearing double to right centerfield to extend their lead to 12-2. The Bucks went in order to end the game.
The Roughriders out hit the Bucks 16-5 in the win. In the loss, Gracie Kimbrell (3-3) pitched 3 innings with 4 strikeouts but gave up 6 earned runs. Detommaso pitched 4 innings giving up 6 earned runs, struck out 3, and walked 4.
Game 2
In game 2, it was all Crowder. The Roughriders scored 4 runs in the 1st, 2 in the 2nd, 11 in the 3rd, and 3 runs in the 5th. The Bucks would scratch a run across in the bottom of the 4th inning. Maddi Miles singled to lead off and advanced to 2nd base before being drove home by Gracie Kimbrell's RBI single to center field.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Bucks got a little offense going. Madelynn Lacaze reached on an error before Kristen McMillan hit a line drive single to right center. Ashton Daniel (Rockwall, TX) would follow suit with a single of her own to load the bases. Kimbrell would hit a 2 RBI single to score Lacaze and McMillan. The Buck would strikeout twice to end the inning. Roughriders win 20-3 in 5 innings.
Autumn Powell (Mena, AR) got the start in the circle and picked up her first loss of the season. In the outing, she threw 2.1 innings and gave up 12 runs (8 earned) on 10 hits and struck out 3. Hannah Hunter came on in relief. She pitched 2.2 innings giving up 8 runs (7 earned) on 8 hits while striking out 7 and walking 2.
The Bucks are back in action on Friday at Murray State College in Tishomingo, OK for a twin bill starting at noon.
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