(April 21, 2022) Mena, Arkansas – The Bucks keep pushing closer and closer to the end of the season and are trying to make their push to the Region II Tournament in Piedmont, OK in the middle of May. A split on Tuesday with NOC-Tonkawa helped the cause. The Bucks looked to at least do the same on Thursday afternoon at Cummings-Cecil Field against Rose State College. Currently, Rose State sits fourth in the region, while the Bucks are in seventh place.
GAME ONE
Getting the start in the circle for the Bucks was Caitlyn Mayo (Bigelow, AR). She was coming off a win on Tuesday. She would pitch a scoreless first inning, before a pair of errors led to 5 runs in the top of the second inning, as the Bucks trailed 5-0. Rose State added another in the top of the fourth to lead 6-0 midway through the fourth inning.
In the bottom half of the fourth, the Bucks offense would get going after stranding the bases loaded earlier in the game. After anm nbvc=p-oerror, a base hit, and an out, Kaylin McKee (Wickes, AR) singled on a line drive to push across the first run for the home team. After a fielder's choice and an out, Sydney Smith (Siloam Springs, AR) came through with a 2 RBI single to center field to cut the Raiders' lead in half, 6-3.
After a scoreless fifth, the Bucks plated another run in the bottom of the sixth on a Madelynn Lacaze (Gladewater, TX) RBI single to center field. Mayo pitched a scoreless top of the seventh to give the Bucks a chance to win or tie the game in the bottom half. With 2 runners on and 2 outs, Jah'Kaiya Woods (Little Rock, AR) singled to right field to plate both runners to tie the game at 6-6 and forced extra innings.
Blaire Gentry (Lockesburg, AR) came on to pitch the eighth inning and worked a 1, 2, 3 inning. With 2 outs and 2 runners on, Ashlee Gurley (Logansport, LA) came to bat and hit a ball through the middle infield that allowed pinch runner Kayleigh Anderson (Forrest City, AR) to slide across home to give the Bucks a 7-6 win in extra innings.
Caitlyn Mayo pitched 7.0 innings, giving up 6 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits. Blaire Gentry (10-8) got the win in her 1.0 inning of work, striking out 1 hitter.
GAME TWO
Brookelyn Coffey (Sims, AR) got her first start in the circle for the Bucks this season. She would give up a pair in the top of the first inning. In the bottom half, the Bucks would plate a run on a 2-out RBI single by Presleigh Payne (Grapevine, TX) to make it 2-1 after an inning.
After two scoreless innings, Coffey gave up 2 runs in the top of the fourth inning and recorded an out before being chased from the game. Brooke Detommaso (Las Vegas, NV) entered the game in relief. Another run scored that belonged to Coffey. Detommaso would give up 3 more runs, as the Bucks trailed 8-1 after four innings.
Blaire Gentry entered the game in the circle in the top of the fifth and surrendered a run to make it 9-1. The Bucks stranded a pair in scoring position to end the game in 5 innings, 9-1.
Brookelyn Coffey (0-2) gets her second loss of the season in 3.1 innings of work.
The Bucks are back in action on Saturday at Cummings-Cecil Field for a non-region doubleheader with Northeast Texas Community College. First pitch is scheduled for 2 pm.
#GOBUCKS