(May 4, 2023) Hot Springs, AR - After splitting a pair of 3-2 games on Wednesday, the Bucks had their backs against the wall this afternoon at Majestic Park. It was win or go home for the Bucks. Their opponent was a familiar one: National Park College. The Bucks won three of four in the regular season and were beat in the opening round of the Region II Tournament. The Bucks eliminated Carl Albert yesterday afternoon.

Looking to get off to a fast start, the Bucks would load the bases in the top of the first inning. Blaire Gentry (Lockesburg, AR) came to the plate and hit her first grand slam of her softball career to give the Bucks the 4-0 lead after one inning. Maddie Muller (Little Elm, TX) got the start in the circle for the Bucks and put up a zero in the first.

After the ladies went scoreless, National Park cut the lead in half in the bottom half. In the top of the third, Marli Huddleston (Bee Branch, AR) hit her 14th home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. Muller put up another zero in the bottom of third, but she would surrender a pair of runs in the fourth to make it 5-4 after four innings. 

In the fifth, the Bucks scratched across a run on a Blaire Gentry RBI single to centerfield, but the Nighthawks took the lead in the bottom half 7-6. Muller was chased from the contest. Caitlyn Mayo (Bigelow, AR) came in to pitch in the inning. 

The ladies we scoreless in the sixth, and National Park put up a 5 spot in the bottom have to take a 12-6 lead. The Bucks would strand a pair of runners in the top of the seventh to fall, 12-6.

Mayo (3-4) took the loss in the cirlce in her 1.2 innings. She gave up 5 runs on 6 hits in the outing.

The loss ended the ladies season at 27-24 overall on the season. 

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