(April 1, 2023) Mena, Arkansas - After double dipping National Park on Tuesday in Hot Springs, the ladies looked to continue their hot streak against North Arkansas College at Cummings-Cecil Field. Dating back to March 5th, the Bucks are winners of 10 of their last 11 games and are 7-1 in region play. The Lady Pioneers entered the day 0-12 in region play.
Game One
The ladies found themselves in a 1-0 hole after the top half of the first inning, but the Lady Pioneers lead was short lived in the bottom half. A pair of 2-run home runs by Blaire Gentry (Lockesburg, AR) and Kylee Ward (Rogers, AR) gave the Bucks a 4-1 lead after an inning of play. North Arkansas plated another run in the top of the second to make it 4-2.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the fourth inning. After a lead off hit-by-pitch and then a double, Maddie Muller (Little Elm, TX) came to the plate and extended the lead with a 2-RBI single to begin the scoring in the frame. Gentry continued her day with a 1-out RBI single. Next at-bat, Abi West (Ida, AR) would safety squeezed to plate another run. Two hitters later, Madie Rohre (Whitewright, TX) singled to centerfield to pick up 2 RBIs to make it 10-2 after an inning.
The Bucks wanted to end the game in the top of the fifth, but the Lady Pioneers plated a run to send the game into the bottom half. After a pair of outs, Marli Huddleston (Bee Branch, AR) ended the game on a solo bomb to left centerfield to give the Bucks the 11-3 win in 5-innings.
Gentry (6-3) picked up her sixth win of the season in the circle, second of the week. The sophomore pitched 5.0 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits. She would strike out 9 hitters in the contest.
Game Two
Coach Nealy made a few lineup changes, but it didn't slow the ladies down. The Bucks scored all 10 of their runs in the first three innings. Marli Huddleston and Elise Trautman (Conway, AR) combined for 7 RBIs for the Bucks, including a 2-RBI triple by Trautman in the second and a 3-run bomb by Huddleston in the third inning. The ladies recorded 10 hits in the contest.
In the cirlce, Maddie Muller got the start and went 3.0 innings in the contest. She was followed by McKenna Bittle (Greer's Ferry, AR), who pitched the final 2.0 innings. Between the two, the ladies only gave up 2 walks on the day, but they would combine for a no-hitter in the game. Of the 15 outs, the freshmen recorded 7 strike outs in the contest.
Muller (8-4) picked up her second win of the week in the circle.
The ladies are now 20-10 on the season and 9-1 in Region II heading into a region matchup with NJCAA Division II #1 Murray State College. After Saturday, the Aggies are a perfect 32-0 on the season and 6-0 in region play. The doubleheader will determine the region leader through the first round of region games.
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