February 4th (Mena, Arkansas) – College softball has began at McMillan Park as the Bucks played at Cummings-Cecil Field for the first time. The Bucks took on SAU Tech in a doubleheader and picked up 2 wins to remain undefeated on the young season.
In game 1, the Bucks would score in every inning except the 6th and would need every run. The game went 8 innings. The Bucks would win 9-8 on Autumn Powell's (Mena, AR) walk-off single in the bottom of the 8th.
To get the game started, the Rockets would go down quietly. The Bucks would strike first on Madelynn Lacaze's double (Union Grove, TX) that scored Mackenzie Person (Bonham, TX). The inning would end on a double play. Bucks lead 1-0.
After another scoreless inning by the Rockets, the Bucks would get going on a 2-out rally. Ashton Daniel (Rockwall, TX) and Person would both walk before Maggie Lilly (Mt. Pleasant, TX) would single and pickup 2 RBIs to increase the Bucks lead. The Bucks would hold the Rockets scoreless in the 3rd before picking up another run in the bottom half. Ashlee Gurley (Logansport, LA) reached on an error and advanced to third on another. Madison Humphry (Murfreesboro, AR) would score Gurley on a ground out. The Bucks led 4-0 after 3 innings.
The Rockets would get a run back in the top half of the 4th inning, but the Bucks would counter with a run of their own. Lilly would walk before Lacaze reached on a throwing error that allowed Lilly to round the bases and score. However, the Rockets bats would come alive in the top of the 5th inning and scored 2 runs. Once again, the Bucks countered again with 2 outs in the bottom of the 5th. Humphry walked earlier in the inning and Lilly reached on an error that scored Humphry. Lacaze reached on an error to advance Lilly to third. Gracie Kimbrell (North Little Rock, AR) would give herself some insurance by plating Lilly on a single.
The Rockets would score 3 in the top of the 6th and held the Bucks scoreless going into the 7th inning. The Rockets took their first lead in the top half of the 7th on a 2-run homerun. But, the Bucks would not go away quietly. Maggie Lilly would double and score on a Rockets' error on a Kimbrell ground ball. After regulation, the game was tied at 8-8. Kimbrell threw up a zero on the scoreboard that led to Autumn Powell's walk-off single to end the game. Bucks win 9-8.
Gracie Kimbrell picked up her second win of the season.
In the 2nd game, game 1's hero, Autumn Powell, started the game in the circle for the Bucks. The Rockets would pickup 2 runs in the top half, before the Bucks' hot bats would tie it up at 2 apiece. Mackenzie Person would double to lead it off, and Madelynn Lacaze would hit her first homerun of her collegiate career. The Rockets bounced back to score 3 runs in the second. But, the Bucks would take the lead on one swing of the bat in the bottom half. Everitt would single, and Gurley would walk to setup Person's second homerun of the season.
Powell pitched a shutout in the top half of the 3rd before the Bucks would seal the deal with a 6 run 3rd inning. Powel doubled off the centerfield wall to start the inning. Hannah Hunter (Malvern, AR) pinch ran and advanced on a groundout. She would score on a Ashlee Gurley single. After a Leah Wilkins (Van Buren, AR) walk, Gurley advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch and would score on a fielder's choice on Person's hit. Maggie Lilly would hit a line drive to centerfield to score both Wilkins and Person. To end the game, Gracie Kimbrell would hit a 2-run homerun. Bucks win 12-5.
Autumn Powell would pickup her second win of the season in the circle for game 2.
The Bucks play again on Saturday, February 6th, at National Park College in Hot Springs.
#GOBUCKS