(February 14, 2024) Mena, Arkansas - Starting the season 4-0, the Bucks were moving ahead with their 5-date home stretch Wednesday afternoon at Cummings-Cecil Field. The ladies faced their toughest competition this season in the Bossier Parish Community College Cavaliers. The Cavaliers entered the doubleheader with a 5-4-1 overall record in 2024. 

Game One

The first game of the twin bill saw the Bucks get battle tested. Offensively, the ladies managed 3 hits in the contest and struggled to move runners around the bases. The Bucks did have solid contact at times right at defenders, but the ladies struck out 7 times in the contest.

Bossier Parish scored a run in the top of the second, before taking advantage of a Bucks errorr to plate 4 runs in the top of the fourth. After a scoreless fourth, the Cavaliers plated a run in the fifth to make the final score of 6-0. McKenna Bittle (Greer's Ferry, AR) got the start on the mound and went 5.0 innings. The sophomore gave up 6 runs (1 earned) on 8 hits. Bittle (2-1) struck out one and walked a pair in the loss. Kamryn Uher (Prairie Grove, AR) pitched the final 2.0 innings efficiently, giving up 0 runs and only faced 7 hitters.

Game Two

The Cavaliers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on starting pitcher Olivia Nickson (Bentonville, AR). Nickson lasted 2.2 innings in the start and pitched around 7 walks to only give up 2 earned runs. Holly Raney (Mayflower, AR) came on in relief. 

In the bottom of the third, the Bucks had the bases loaded with 1 out, but the ladies grounded into a double play after a pitching change for the Cavaliers. After a scoreless fourth inning, the Cavaliers plated a lone run after a Bucks error. In the bottom half, the Bucks once again had a runner in scoring position, but a strikeout ended the threat, trailing 3-0 after five innings. 

The Cavaliers once again threatened in the top of the sixth and took advantage of the short game to plate a run. However, Raney got a pair of fly balls to end the inning with the bases loaded. After scoreless bottom half, the Cavaliers chased Raney from the game after a solo home run and a single with 1 out. Raney's final line in the game was 3.2 innings pitched, giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits. Reagan Tucker (Waxahachie, TX) entered the game to pitch and recorded a pair of strikeouts in her 0.2 innings of work.

The ladies went down in order in the bottom of the seventh in the 5-0 loss. Nickson (0-1) takes the loss in the game. Offensively, the Bucks stranded 7 runners in the game and 13 on the day. 

The Bucks end their home stretch on Saturday, February 17th, against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm at Cummings-Cecil Field.

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