(March 23, 2024) Mountain Home, Arkansas – Coming off a win on Thursday at Union Bank Field to start the series with #20 ASU Mountain Home, the Bucks wanted to continue their momentum on Saturday at Cooper Park.  

Game One 

It was a rough start for the Bucks, as the Trailblazers scored 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning off starting pitcher Clint Lafferty (Seguin, TX). The Bucks would not throw in the towel and scored a run in the bottom of the third and 3 more in the fourth to tie the game at 4-4. 

After a Diego Archila (Baton Rouge, LA) lead off double, he would tag on a fly ball to right field to put a runner on third with 1 out. Next at-bat, Cody Hayes (Corsicana, TX) bunted and reached on a fielder's choice to plate the run. In the fourth, a walk, hit-by-pitch, and a 1 out walk loaded the bases for Trevor Flake (North Little Rock, AR). Flake hit 2-RBI single to put runners on first and second. A fielder's choice advanced a runner to third that would then score on a Ian Smith (Bismarck, AR) RBI single to right field. 

ASUMH would come back with a single run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Bucks would once again tie the game in the fifth. Diego Archila hit a RBI double with 2 outs to tie the game at 5-5.  

The Bucks were looking to add runs in the sixth after holding the Trailblazers, but the men were unsuccessful. ASUMH hit a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth that would end up being the result of the game, 7-5.  

The Bucks used 5 pitchers in the contest, and Riley Nicholson (Conway, AR) (1-1) would get the loss in 0.1 innings of work.  

Game Two 

The Bucks were looking to get the series win in the rubber match. The game was a pitcher's dual through six innings. The Trailblazers scored a run in the bottom of the fourth off starting pitcher Austin Rainey (Conway, AR). The Bucks fought back and tie the game in the top of the sixth on a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded, but that's all the Bucks could score.  

Mountain Home regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning and added 3 more runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Bucks final chance came in the top of the nineth, down 5-1.  

The Bucks once again loaded the bases in the top of the nineth and plated a pair of runs on a hit-by-pitch and walk, but a double play ended the game. Bucks fall 5-3.  

Rainey (3-2) gets the loss in 5.1 innings of work. The lefthander gave up 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits. 

In the game, the Bucks stranded the bases loaded three times and failed to get the timely hit to break things open midway through the game.  

The losses bring the Bucks overall record to 12-17 on the season and 8-3 in region play. The men return to action on Tuesday at North Arkansas.  

#DefendTheMountain