(March 5, 2022) Seminole, Oklahoma – Coming off a losing a doubleheader at home Thursday afternoon, the Bucks schedule did nothing but get harder to start conference play. The Bucks traveled to Seminole State College to face the back-to-back-to-back Region 2 Champions and National Tournament qualifiers. The Lady Trojans are currently ranked #6 in the country.

GAME ONE

Caitlyn Mayo (Bigelow, AR) got the start in the circle for the Bucks. She would go 4.1 innings, giving up 6 unearned runs on 7 hits. Mayo (4-3) took loss in the outing, striking out 3 and walking 5 hitters.

After two scoreless innings, the Bucks took a 2-0 lead with a run apiece in the third and fourth innings off a solo home run by Blaire Gentry (Lockesburg, AR) and a RBI double by Presleigh Payne (Grapevine, TX).  The Bucks took the lead into the fifth, where the Lady Trojans flexed their muscles and put up 6 runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 6-2 lead. Brooke Detommaso (Las Vegas, NV) entered the game in relief of Mayo in the inning.

Seminole extended their lead to 7-2 in the sixth off relief pitcher Presleigh Payne, but the Bucks wouldn't go away quietly in the top of the seventh inning. Kayleigh Anderson (Forrest City, AR) would hit a 2-run bomb to centerfield, while Presleigh Payne reached on an error that plated on run with 2-outs. However, the Bucks would fall 7-5 to the Trojans.

GAME TWO

Looking to build on some momentum from the previous game, the Bucks got a fast start in the first inning. With the bases loaded and 1 out, Presleigh Payne hit a 2-RBI double to centerfield to open the scoring. Next at-bat, Kristen McMillan (Winnsboro, TX) would hit a RBI single to center before stealing second base. She would then score on an error to give the Bucks a 4-0 lead.

The lead was short lived as starting pitcher Brooke Detommaso gave up 5 runs in the bottom half. She was chased from the game, recording only 1 out. Blaire Gentry entered the contest in relief. However, the Bucks answered again in the second inning with a 5 spot of their own. Jah'Kaiya Woods (Little Rock, AR) led off with a solo homer to left field. Four hitters later and 1 out, Presleigh Payne hit her first home run of the season, a 3-run shot to centerfield. McMillan reached on an error that put her at second base for Tabry Jordan. Tabry picked up a RBI on a single to right field that gave the Bucks a 9-5 lead midway through the second inning. Seminole scratched across a run in the bottom half to cut the lead to 9-6.

In the third inning, Seminole once again cut into the lead with 2 runs in the bottom of the third. Both teams would then go scoreless in the fourth inning before Seminole took regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with 2 runs before adding 3 more runs in the bottom of the sixth to go on to win 13-9.

Blaire Gentry (1-3) took the loss in relief. She would throw 4.2 innings, giving up 7 runs (5 earned) on 9 hits. She struck out and walked 1 hitter apiece.

The Bucks are back in action at home on Tuesday against Carl Albert State College.

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