(March 5, 2023) Branson, Missouri – The Bucks split the day yesterday in the Branson Bash. The Bucks won 4-0 over Fort Scott CC and lost 7-2 to Neosho County, both schools that play in Region 6 in Kansas. The ladies were back in action early this morning against former region foe NOC-Tonkawa at 9:30 am and concluded their day at 1:30 pm against State Fair CC from Region 16.

Game One – NOC-Tonkawa

The ladies have found themselves in several pitcher's duals in the early season, and this game was no different. Maddie Muller (Little Elm, TX) got the ball in the circle for the Bucks, and she would go the distance in the game. Muller (3-4) pitched 7.0 innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits and struck out 7 on the day. Despite her great outing, the Bucks only had 3 base runners in the game. Blaire Gentry (Lockesburg, AR) recorded the ladies only hit late in the contest. The Mavs defeated the Bucks, 1-0.

Game Two – State Fair CC

The ladies were looking to pick up a win on Sunday afternoon to finish out their time in Branson. For the first time in the weekend, the Bucks were the visiting team and got on the board in the first inning when Kayleigh Anderson (Forrest City, AR) scored on a wild pitch to give the Bucks an early 1-0 lead, but State Fair answered with a run of their own to make it 1-1 after an inning.

The bats woke up for the ladies in the top of the second, scoring 5 runs. After a lead off triple, Western Mussett (Garvin, OK) hit a 2-run bomb over the left field fence. Five hitters later and the bases loaded, Kirsten Sudderth (Forney, TX) hit a sac fly to increase the lead. Next at-bat, starting pitcher McKenna Bittle (Greer's Ferry, AR) hit a RBI double to centerfield to give herself a 6-1 lead.

State Fair didn't go away, scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the second inning. After a scoreless third, both teams plated a run in the fourth. Sudderth hit a RBI single with the bases loaded in the top half of the frame to plate the Bucks run. Both teams went scoreless in the fifth with the Bucks leading 7-4.

In the sixth, the Bucks rounded out their offense for the day with a Kayleigh Anderson RBI triple, and then the sophomore scored on a passed ball to extend the Bucks lead. After a scoreless bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh, State Fair made thing interesting in the bottom of the seventh with a lead off home run and a RBI double. However, Maddie Muller came into the game and got a double play and a strikeout to end the threat to give the Bucks a 9-6 win.

McKenna Bittle (1-0) picked up her first win of the season, lasting 3.2 innings. She gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and struck out and walked 5 hitters apiece. Caitlyn Mayo (Bigelow, AR) pitched the middle innings, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits in 2.1 innings. Muller got the save in the contest.

The ladies return home this week with a doubleheader against Connors State on Tuesday at Cummings-Cecil Field. Weather pending, the ladies will host both Labette Community College and Seminole State College on Thursday for three games beginning at 10 am.

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