(May 7, 2021) Hot Springs, AR – Coming off what seems to be a mid-season skid, the Bucks looked to get back to the winning ways in their last Region 2 series of the season. The Bucks travelled to Hot Springs High School to take on National Park College for a doubleheader this afternoon to start the weekend series.
Game 1
The initial game of the series was not lacking any offensive production by either team. Leading off the game, Mason Reynolds (Fort Worth, TX) led off with a walk. After back-to-back fly outs, Luke Rice (Scott, AR) hit a 2-run homer to centerfield. Not to be outdone, Eli Garrison (North Little Rock, AR) followed that up a solo shot to give the Bucks a 3-0 lead. In the bottom half, the Nighthawks hit 2 solo homers off starter Drake Fontenot (Bossier City, LA) to cut into the Bucks lead.
In the 2nd inning, Cole Clark (Clarksville, AR) and Isaac Price (Siloam Springs, AR) reached on a walk and hit-by-pitch. After 2 outs, Dan Taylor (Rogers, AR) hit a 3-run bomb. Fontenot put down the Nighthawks in order in the bottom half as the Bucks led 6-2 after 2 innings.
The Bucks kept the run production going in the 3rd. After Garrison's walk, Wesley Featherston (Hope, AR) doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Cole Clark would then hit an RBI single to centerfield. Next at-bat, Isaac Price hit a sac fly to left field to plate another Bucks run. The Nighthawks added 3 runs of their own in the bottom half, but the Bucks held onto their lead, 8-5.
In the 4th, the Bucks had two runners on with 1 out, Eli Garrison would hit his second homer of the day, picking up 3 RBIs. Next at-bat, Wesley Featherston added to the Bucks lead with a solo shot to left field. In the bottom half, Fontenot stranded the bases loaded to get out of the inning unscathed.
The streak of scoring runs in every inning ended in the 5th for the Bucks. National Park hit a grand slam in the bottom half to cut the Bucks lead down to 12-9 after 5 innings. Carson Crawford (Humnoke, AR) came on to pitch with 1 out left in the 5th.
In the 6th, the Bucks increased their lead with 4 more runs. After back-to-back walks, Clark loaded the bases with 1 out. Isaac Price stepped into the box and delivered on a grand slam to left field to give the Bucks a 16-9 lead.
In the final inning and a half, Crawford surrendered 2 runs, but the Bucks would win 16-11.
Drake Fontenot evened his season record a 2-2 in the start.
Game 2
National Park would start one of Coach Spigner's former players from Horatio in the second game. He would keep the Bucks off balance for most of the game. The Nighthawks took the early lead in the bottom of the first innings with a 2-run homer off the Bucks starter, Maddox Long (Morrilton, AR).
In the 2nd, Rylee Huie (Pottsville, AR) doubled, and Isaac Price was hit by a pitch before a balk advanced both base runners. Cole Clark would then ground out to the right side to score Huie to cut into the Nighthawk lead, 2-1. Long put up a zero on the scoreboard in the bottom half.
After a scoreless 3rd for the Bucks, National Park increased their lead on a solo homer, 3-1. Both teams went scoreless in the 4th, and the Bucks went scoreless again the 5th. In the bottom half, Long gave up back-to-back solo homers before loading the bases. With 1 out, Cooper Perry (Avinger, TX) came on to pitch. NPC added another run on a balk by Perry to lead 6-1 after 5 innings.
The Bucks offense picked up a little in the 6th inning. With 2 outs, Cole Clark would hit a solo homer to right field to cut into the Nighthawks lead, 6-2. In the bottom half, Perry kept the Nighthawks scoreless.
Both teams went scoreless in the 7th before the Bucks would take the lead on a 5-run inning. After reaching on an error and single, Isaac Price hit an RBI single with 1 out. After another out, Preston Lee (Maumelle, AR) hit an RBI single to right field. Another walk loaded the bases before Mason Reynolds' walk plated another Bucks run. Next at-bat, Dan Taylor would hit a missile off the centerfield fence to score 2 more runs that put the Bucks ahead 7-6. In the bottom half, Cooper Perry gave up a single, but a double play ball and fly out ended the inning.
In the 9th, the Bucks were looking for some insurance runs and pick up one off a Rylee Huie solo homer. Like the previous inning, Perry gave up a single, but he got a ground out and 2 fly outs to end the game. Bucks win in comeback fashion, 8-6.
Cooper Perry (2-1) pitched 4.2 innings of scoreless ball, giving up 2 hits and striking out 4 in the outing.
The Bucks and Nighthawks conclude the series tomorrow afternoon at Union Bank Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.
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