(Mesa, AZ) The softball team at Park University Gilbert wrapped up their weekend against the Red Hawks of Simpson University with a 2-0 sweep on Sunday afternoon, completing the four game sweep and moving to 4-0 in Cal Pac conference play. The Bucs took game one 5-4 in nine innings, and game two 7-2.
“Great weekend for our group,” said head coach Brandon Telesco, “We didn’t play our best in game one but we found a way to win and that’s what good teams do. Proud of our championship resolve that showed through today. Game two I thought Christian was fantastic, only her second start of the year and she was great. When she attacks the strike zone early she is successful and today she did that. Looking forward to our next challenge as we head on a long road trip Tuesday.”
Game one was a battle, going deep into extra innings, as the two teams tussled for nine innings. The Buccaneers had an early jump in the game with two runs occurring in the first. Danielle Farinas smoked a double to bring Ledezma Romero through home plate, then was quickly driven home herself on a Gabby Romero double. Beyond the Bucs’ first inning runs, pitching and defense dominating the first five frames.
The Bucs tacked on another in the fifth on a single by Mariah Martinez, but the Red Hawks answered finally in the sixth with their first two runs of the game on a single from Simpson’s Aubrey Zamora that cut the Bucs lead to just one. But the Red Hawks weren’t done there; in the seventh, with their backs against the wall, the Red Hawks cashed in on a bases loaded opportunity, adding another two runs and taking a 4-3 lead.
The Bucs then had their backs against the wall, but with two outs and no one on in the bottom of the seventh, Romero hit a single, then Natalie Castro doubled down the right field line, giving the Bucs a glimmer of hope. Sierra Meyers then came in very clutch, reaching on an error and scoring Romero. And so, off to extras we went.
The offenses began quiet, but it was the Bucs who struck in the bottom of the ninth. Natalie Castro continued her torrid day at the plate with a double, then was mobbed at home plate when she was driven in for the walk-off victory by Meyers.
Round two proved to be an even more enjoyable experience for the Bucs, claiming their fourth win of the weekend. In the first, Robles was brought in following an error made at third base. Another G. Romero single loaded the bases, and the Buccaneers promptly pushed Simpson starter Jessica Ulshoeffer out of the game with a single by Castro and a walk by Raylissa Garcia.
Starter Christian Smith gave up one run in the top half of the second, but the Bucs answered quickly in the bottom half with a two-run shot by Martinez, who continued her fantastic day at the plate. She finished 2-6 with four RBI in the two games combined, that to go along with another strong start in the circle in game one.
Simpson tacked on one in the top of the third, but the Bucs added insurance runs in the fourth and fifth, the score showing 7-2 in favor of the Bucs as the final out made in the top half of the seventh.
Park will return to play during the Tucson Invitational on March 7 and 8 with their first two matchups against RV Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) and Concordia University (Neb.).
Press Release Park University Athletics – Lainie Hallows
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