(March 5, 2022) Mena, Arkansas – Coming off losing a doubleheader against Mineral Area the day before, the Bucks looked to rebound on a nasty afternoon at Union Bank Field and get at least win one game of the series.

Jackson Wells (Rogers, AR) got the start on the bump for the Bucks. The right hander would throw 4.0 innings, giving up 5 runs on 9 hits, while striking out 5 and walking a lone Cardinal. He would get the no decision in the outing.

Wells cruised through the first two innings, allowing the Bucks to take a 3-0 lead after two. The Bucks got things started in the bottom of the first inning with Chase Webb's (El Dorado, AR) third homer of the season, a 2-run shot over the left center field wall, to make it 2-0 in favor of the home squad. The next inning, the Bucks had two runners on second and third for Daniel Taylor (Rogers, AR). He reached on an error to score Cole Clark (Clarksville, AR) to give the Bucks the 3-0 lead.

Mineral Area wouldn't go away and tied the game in the top of the third inning and then took the lead in the top of the fourth with two more runs to make it 5-3. The Bucks would scratch across one run in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game at 5-5.

Randy Little Jr. (Pine Bluff, AR) came out of the bullpen in relief to start the fifth inning and put up a zero that allowed the Bucks to tie the game in the bottom half. However, the Cardinals regained the lead in the top of the sixth off Little before he was chased from the contest, with 2 runners on. Daegan Covington (Taylor, AR) came on in relief to close out the inning but gave up a couple runs to make it 7-5 midway through the sixth inning.

The Bucks wouldn't go away, pushing a run across in the bottom of the sixth to close the gap to 7-6. Covington put up a zero in the top of the seventh. The Bucks would need a run to extend the game or 2 runs to win it.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Bucks had a pair reach on a hit by pitch and walk for Cole Clark. Clark was perfect on the day to this point and laid down a two-strike bunt that was thrown into left field allowing a run the cross to tie the game. Two hitters later, after an intentional walk to load the bases, pinch hitter Will Dolan (Sugar Land, TX) came to the plate. The very first pitch he saw was inside and hit Dolan that scored the winning run. Bucks win 8-7 in 7 innings.

For his 1.2 innings of work, Daegan Covington (1-0) picked up his first win of the season. The right hander allowed 1 run on 3 hits in the outing.

The Bucks begin conference play next weekend with a 4-game series with NOC-Tonkawa. The series begins Thursday at Union Bank Field, before concluding on Saturday in Tonkawa, OK.

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