(February 16, 2026) Mena, Arkansas - It feels like a slow start to the softball season after a cancellation and playing one game a week, but now, the season is picking up as the ladies began a 4-date home stand this afternoon at Cummings-Cecil Field. Today's doubleheader was against Northeast Texas Community College. The Bucks and Lady Eagles restarted the annual home and home series this afternoon.
Game One
The day started with what felt was going to be a pitcher's dual. Mallory Abercrombie (Foreman, AR) got the start in the circle for the Bucks and cruised through three innings. The Bucks were also held scoreless through that stretch, but everything changed in the fourth inning. The Lady Eagles plate a run to take a 1-run lead, but the lead was short lived with a crooked number in the bottom of the inning for UARM.
A double and a single led off the inning to put runners in scoring position for sophomore Emily Stout (Vilonia, AR). She would ground out in the middle of the infield to drive in UARM's first run of the day. Next at-bat, the game's designated player Hayden White (Red Oak, OK) grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed another runner to score. Then, Ashlen VanMeter (Brock, TX) grounded out to plate the third and final run of the inning.
With the 3-1 lead, Abercrombie ran into a little bit of trouble, and Hayden White came on to pitch in relief. She got a ground out to end the half inning and would finish the game for UARM, pitching 2.2 innings. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the ladies put up their second crooked number of the day. With 2 outs, VanMeter drove in her second run of the day on a single to left field. Next at-bat, sophomore Kinley Rankin (Horatio, AR) had a RBI single to centerfield. After another single, Linley Collins (Whitesboro, OK) picked up a RBI on a fly ball to centerfield before Brooke Tyler (Gainesville, TX) drove in the final insurance run on a single off the third basemen.
White gave up a single in the seventh, but a double play ball and a ground out ended the game with the Bucks winning, 7-1.
Mallory Abercrombie (1-0) got her first win of the season in her first start. She lasted 4.1 innings, giving up 1 run on 5 hits. Normally pitching in relief, the right-hander struck out 3 and walked a pair.
Game Two
The Bucks had a slow start to the second game of the day and ended up scoring all of their runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, trailing 1-0. Up to that point, the ladies had stranded 3 runners in scoring position, but that quickly changed in the fifth. Rankin led off with a single before being sacrificed over to second. This time with a runner in scoring position, Linley Collins delivered with a RBI double to left field on a hustle play. Next at-bat, Ashlen VanMeter would plate Collins on a ground ball up the middle. After the second out of the inning and a walk, Kensley Allen (Muskogee, OK) doubled on a line drive over the centerfielder's head that scored a pair of runs to close out the inning to give UARM a 4-1 lead.
NTCC answered with a run in the top of the sixth, but the Bucks made a pair of pitching changes in the last two innings to fight off the Lady Eagles comeback. White entered the game in the seventh inning in the circle with a runner on first base, giving up a single and walk to load the bases. However, the sophomore got a pair of fly balls and a ground out that stranded the bases loaded to seal the Bucks win.
Ainsley Tippen (Perryville, AR) lasted 3.1 innings in relief to get the win. Tippen (2-0) gave up a run on 3 hits and struck out a pair. Hayden White (1) got her first save of the season in 1.0 innings of work.
UARM will now play again on Thursday against NJCAA DI #18 Seminole State College. The Bucks split with the Trojans last season in Seminole.
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