(April 22, 2024) Mena, Arkansas - It feels like it's been a long time since since the ladies took the field. The last time the Bucks played was on April 13th in a doubleheader sweep over SAU Tech. Now, the ladies returned to Cummings-Cecil Field this afternoon for a region doubleheader against Carl Albert State College. Earlier this season in Poteau, the Bucks and Vikings split the doubleheader. 

Game One

The ladies found themselves down 4-0 after one inning and 5-0 mid-way through the third inning. The bats finally started to come alive in the bottom of the inning to cut into the Vikings lead. After a 1-out single and a stolen base by JJ Bass (Joaquin, TX), Madison Heller (Hughes Springs, TX) delivered on a RBI single to left field to open the scoring for the Bucks. After an out, Madie Rohre (Whitewright, TX) picked up her own RBI single to make it 5-2 after three innings. 

McKenna Bittle (Greer's Ferry, AR) had settled in at this point and threw a scoreless top of the fourth that led to the Bucks taking the lead with a 4-run inning. Back-to-back 1-out doubles plated the first run of the inning. Layla Baker (Minden, AR) picked up the RBI. With 2-outs, JJ Bass hit her own RBI double to leftfield. After a walk, Emma Reynolds (Cayuga, TX) hit a RBI single and advanced to third base on an error that also scored an additional run to take the 6-5 lead.

The lead was all Bittle needed. The righthander would go the rest of the way, holding the Vikings at bay. The Bucks would give her some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a walk and sac bunt, Bass stayed perfect on the day with a single to centerfield that allowed a run to score and Bass advancing to third base. Next at-bat, Madison Heller grounded out up the middle to plate the final run of the game. Bucks come back and win, 8-5.

McKenna Bittle (13-5) pitched all 7.0 innings in the win. She would give up 5 unearned runs in the outing on 7 hits. On her birthday, the sophomore struck out 13 hitters.

Game Two

The ladies wanted to keep their late game momentum rolling from the first game of the day. The Bucks jumped out to a 1-0 lead after an inning. With the bases loaded, Lilli Williams (Granbury, TX) hit a sac fly to score the games first run. 

With starting pitcher Olivia Nickson (Bentonville, AR) pitching her way out of jams, the ladies gave her another run in the bottom of the fourth on a Laney Linseisen (Longview, TX) RBI single to right field in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Nickson continued to work on the circle and helped her own cause in the bottom of the sixth inning with a 2-run home run over the left centerfield fence to make it 4-0, which would be the final score.

Olivia Nickson (5-4) pitched a complete game, giving up 0 runs on 5 hits. She would strike out 3 in the outing.

The ladies now turn their attention to National Park on Wednesday in Hot Springs. First pitch is scheduled for 12 pm at Majestic Park.

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