(May 3, 2023) Hot Springs, Arkansas - After a 26-22 regular season finish, the ladies turned their attention to the Region II Tournament this afternoon at Majestic Park. The Bucks come in as the #3 seed in the tournament after finishing 15-9 in Region II. The Bucks opened the tournament with National Park College. NPC finished 16-8 in Region II and are the #2 seed. The ladies took three of four games against the Nighthawks earlier this season.
Game One - National Park College
Much like the Bucks three wins against NPC this season, the ladies found themselves in a pitcher's dual. Blaire Gentry (Lockesburg, AR) got the start for the Bucks. She would surrender a run in the bottom of the first, but the sophomore settled in and trailed 1-0 through four innings.
The Bucks plated a run in the top of the fifth on a solo blast by Kirsten Sudderth (Forney, TX) to tie the contest at 1-1. In the bottom half, Gentry gave up 2 more runs and was chased from the contest. Maddie Muller (Little Elm, TX) entered the game in the circle for the Bucks.
With their back against the wall in the top of the seventh, the ladies did not go down quietly. The Bucks had two runners on with 2 outs, and Chloe Ray (Fort Smith, AR) came in to pinch hit. The sophomore would hit a hard ground ball up the middle to plate a run to make it a one run game. However, the Bucks would fly out to end the game, falling 3-2 to National Park.
The ladies played again immediately after the loss against Carl Albert State College.
Game Two - Carl Albert State College
The Bucks were in a win or go home situation against Carl Albert. During the regular season, the ladies split with the Lady Vikings. The Bucks were the home team in the contest and had a 2-0 lead after three innings. In the bottom of the first, Blaire Gentry hit a RBI single after a Marli Huddleston (Bee Branch, AR) double. After a scoreless second, a pair of doubles by Meagan Hopkins (Spring, TX) and Kylee Ward (Lowell, AR) gave the Bucks a 2-0 lead.
With Maddie Muller in the circle, the Bucks gave up a run in the top of third on an error. The game stayed a 2-1 until the top of the sixth when Carl Albert tied the contest at 2-2. The Bucks answered in the bottom of the sixth on a Abi West (Ida, AR) RBI double to give the Bucks the lead. The run was all Muller needed. The freshmen would give up a hit-by-pitch with 2 outs, but she struck out the Vikings to end the game. Bucks win and advance to Thursday in the Region II Tournament.
Muller (13-8) pitched a complete game, giving up 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits. She would strike out 5 and walk a pair in the win.
The Bucks now will play again tomorrow at 12 pm against the loser of tonight's game between Murray State College and National Park.
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