(February 10, 2022) Mena, Arkansas – Coming off a doubleheader sweep of North Arkansas College on Monday, the Bucks looked to keep the early season hot streak going against the SAU Tech Rockets. The Bucks and Rockets squared off this afternoon at Cummings-Cecil Field at Lee McMillan Park.
GAME ONE
Blaire Gentry (Lockesburg, AR) got the start for the Bucks. Gentry threw 7 innings, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits. She would strikeout 4 and walk 3 in the outing.
The Bucks scored first in the bottom of the first inning. Jah'Kaiya Woods (Little Rock, AR) singled to lead off the inning and found herself on third after a pass ball and tagging on a fly ball. She then scored on a ground out to put the Bucks ahead 1-0 after an inning.
The Rockets scored on a solo homer in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 1-1. The game would stay that way through the sixth inning. SAU Tech broke the tie with a with 4 runs in the top of the seventh. The Bucks would fight back in the bottom half and score 4 runs to send the game into extra innings.
Kristen McMillan (Winnsboro, TX) led off with a double before Kaylin McKee (Wickes, AR) hit a RBI double. Next at-bat, Jah'Kaiya Woods hit a RBI triple to keep the momentum going before scoring on a sacrifice fly. Pinch-runner Ashton Daniel (Rockwall, TX) scored the game-tying run on a passed ball to knot the score at 5-5.
Brooke Detommaso (Las Vegas, NV) came on to pitch in the extra innings, stranding the bases loaded in the top of the nineth inning. The Bucks remained scoreless through 9 innings, but in the bottom of the 10th with 1 out, Kristen McMillan came up to hit and walked it off with a solo homer to left field for the win, 6-5.
Bigelow native, Caitlyn Mayo (1-0) came in and pitched a scoreless top of the 10th and picked up her first win of the season.
GAME TWO
Caitlyn Mayo started the second game on the evening. She would find herself behind 2-0 after the top half of the first. The Bucks left a runner on in the bottom half, but after a scoreless top of the second inning. The Bucks evened the score in the bottom of the second on a 2-run homer by Chloe Ray (Fort Smith, AR).
The Rockets broke the tie the next inning with 2 runs to make it 4-2, but once again, the Bucks tied the game a one swing of the bat in the third inning. This time it was off the bat of Abi West (Ida, AR) over the right center field to knot the game at 4-4 after three innings.
SAU Tech answered again in the top of the fourth with 2 more runs to regain the lead, but the Bucks answered again with an 8 run fourth inning. With the bases loaded, Jah'Kaiya Woods picked up a RBI the easy way with a walk before Abi West came through again with a bases clearing triple down the right field line to give the Bucks the lead. The lead was then increased on a RBI ground out by Presleigh Payne. Four hitters later with 2 out, Madelynn Lacaze (Gladewater, TX) hit her first homer of the season, a 3-run shot to left center field to give the Bucks a 12-6 lead after four innings.
Caitlyn Mayo (2-0) came back out in the top the fifth and pitched a scoreless inning to pickup her second win of the day. Bucks win 12-6 in five innings.
The Bucks play again tomorrow and Saturday in the CASC Classic in Poteau, Oklahoma. Tomorrow's doubleheader starts at 10 am. The ladies will be playing Carl Albert and Southwest Tennessee.
#GOBUCKS