(March 30, 2023) Mena, Arkansas - After a 5-game winning streak, the Bucks lost all four region games last week and were looking to get back on track in this week's series with Redlands Community College. The Bucks entered the day 5-7 in Region II, while the Cougars were even at 6-6 through the first three series. 

After dropping Game One, 10-1, to the Cougars, the Bucks wanted to get back on track and put themselves in a position for a series win on Saturday in El Reno. The Bucks flipped the script from the day's initial contest and scored first in the bottom of the opening frame. After a single and hit-by-pitch to led off the game, both runners would double steal and get in scoring position. Casey Shipley (Prairie Grove, AR) grounded out to plate the first run and the next run scored on a passed ball to make it 2-0 after an inning. 

Redlands answered with a run in the top of the second to make it 2-1. The score would remain the same until the bottom of the fourth. After a hit-by-pitch led off the inning, Kolby Webb (Cabot, AR) hit a RBI line drive to centerfield to open the scoring in the inning. After a two-out walk, Blake Ritter (Ashdown, AR) hit a 2-RBI triple to right centerfield to make it 5-1 after four innings.

After a zero in the top of the fifth, the Bucks loaded the bases in the bottom half with no outs. Ethan Perry (Benton, AR) plated a pair of runs on double to left field. Next at-bat, Kolby Webb continued his day at the plate with a 2-RBI double to centerfield to make it 9-1. 

The Bucks offense was done on the day after the fifth inning, but starting pitcher Jack Henry Pettit's (Brookland, AR) afternoon was just getting started. The freshmen righthander made his 6th start of the season and held the Cougars to a lone run the top of the second inning. Pettit (3-2) went the distance, throwing all 9.0 innings. He faced 32 hitters on the day, threw 106 pitches (73 strikes), and gave up 6 hits, while striking out 5 and walking a lone hitter.

After the day, the Bucks are 12-16 overall and 6-8 in the region. The men will now travel to El Reno, OK to conclude the series and have set themselves up with a chance to get the series win on Saturday afternoon. 

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