(March, 17, 2022) El Reno, Oklahoma – After sweeping their first conference series last weekend, the Bucks looked to keep the momentum going heading into Week 2 of Region 2 play. The Bucks opponent in four game series is the Redlands Community College Cougars. The Cougars entered the weekend 2-2 in region play, while the Bucks were 4-0 prior to yesterday's doubleheader.
GAME ONE
The contest went scoreless through the first two innings. Delta State signee Drake Fontenot (Bossier City, LA) got the start to kickoff the series and looked comfortable for the first few innings, only giving up 1 run through five innings.
The Bucks broke open the scoring in the top of the third inning with a couple runs. The combo of Chase Webb (El Dorado, AR) and Luke Rice (Scott, AR) plated the first run. Webb's single put a runner on for Rice to hit a RBI triple. Next at-bat, Cole Clark (Clarksville, AR) hit a sac fly to make it 2-0 after three.
The Bucks would put up a crooked number in the top of the next inning. Daniel Taylor (Rogers, AR) plated a couple runs, reaching on an error with 1 out. Two hitters later and two on, Chase Webb delivered his sixth homer of the season. After the second out, Cole Clark took the round trip around the bases with a solo shot over left field that made it 8-0. Redlands answered with a solo homer in the bottom half that made it 8-1 after four innings.
Fontenot had a 8-1 lead heading into the sixth inning before giving up a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning that cut the lead to 8-5, but his teammates got 2 of the runs back in the top of the seventh inning. Mason Reynolds (Fort Worth, TX) hit a sac fly to center field, and Luke Rice hit a RBI single to extend the lead.
In the bottom half, Cooper Perry (Avinger, TX) came on to close out the game. He would give up 2 unearned runs in the bottom half, but the Bucks held on to the 10-7 win.
In 6.0 innings of work, Drake Fontenot (2-1) picked up his second win of the season. He gave up 5 runs on 7 hits, while striking out 6 and walking 1 on the day.
GAME TWO
After winning the ever so important first game, the Bucks wanted to start fast and did by scoring 16 runs in the first two innings of the scheduled 9-inning contest. The highlight of each inning were grand slams by Daniel Taylor and Jackson Baker (Sherwood, AR) that had the Bucks ahead 16-0 after two innings. Starting pitcher Grant Shankle (Van Buren, AR) finally got on the bump with an 8-0 lead and only gave up 2 runs in his 4 innings of work. Redlands scored their only runs of the game in the bottom of the second and fourth innings.
The Bucks scratched across their final 2 runs in the top of the fifth inning on RBIs from Andrew Almendarez (Tomball, TX) and Brice Cagle (Sherwood, AR). In the bottom half, Cade Shrum (Greenwood, AR) entered the contest and pitched the final three innings, giving up no runs, no hits, and struck out 5 hitters on the day.
Grant Shankle (4-1) picked up his team leading fourth win of the season.
The Bucks will try for the series win on Saturday at Union Bank Field. First pitch of the twin bill is scheduled for 1 pm.
#GOBUCKS