(Tempe, Surprise, AZ) The Park University Gilbert baseball team split a pair of games as they opened up its 2023 season today beating Southern California Leadership University 9-5 at home at Tempe Diablo and then losing 4-0 to Ottawa University Arizona in Surprise, Ariz.
In game one against new program Southern California Leadership the Bucs jumped out to an 8-0 lead and cruised to a 9-5 win over the Rhinos. It was the first time in program history the Bucs won its season opener. They were 0-3 prior to today.
The Buccaneers started a lineup which featured eight returners and one newcomer. Every player in the lineup had at least one hit led by graduate student Austin Chouinard who took advantage of the extra years given to covid shortening the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Chouinard who had three hits, was one of five players with multi-hit games as the Buccaneers pounded 15 hits for the game. The most hits in a season opener for the Bucs bypassing the eight hits they had in the very first game in Park Gilbert history against Bethesda.
The Park pitching staff was also on point despite allowing five runs, the Bucs only gave up five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five. Matthew Armendariz started a game for the first time in his career and only his fourth career appearance on the bump. He was cruising through four inning allowing only one hit before running into a rough patch in the fifth. He ended up giving up three extra base hits and hit a batter in the inning allowing four runs. He gave way to Angel Heredia making his Park varsity debut and he was impressive, throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings not allowing a hit and striking out three. He set down every hitter he faced.
The Buccaneers then made the hour sojourn to Surprise, Ariz., to take on OUAZ in the rare home/away double header.
In game two, transfer Shaun Atamanchuk made his Park debut and was outstanding, throwing five scoreless innings, scattering five hits and striking out two without walking a batter. But the Buc bats could not give Atamanchuk any help only mustering four hits for the entire game.
Zachary Fogle, who transferred from OUAZ last season came on in relief of Atamanchuk in the sixth and was greeted by some bad luck as he had the third out in hand with a strike out but a wild pitch allowed the batter to reach first and the inning to continue. Three runs would follow and put the Bucs behind for good.
Chouinard added two more hits in the game to give him five for the day.
The Buccaneers will face off with these same two teams tomorrow, but both of the games will be at Tempe Diablo. The Bucs will face Ottawa first starting at 11 a.m. and will follow up with another game against Southern California Leadership at 3 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
Click on Logo
