(Mesa, AZ) The Park University Gilbert baseball team upped its win streak to three games and recorded the second shutout in school history in a 3-0 win over Midland University this morning at Arizona Athletic Grounds. The Bucs even their record at 4-4.
Last year, these two teams combined for 41 runs in a 28-13 Park win. Today was the opposite of that slugfest. A pitcher’s duel between Bucs starter Junior Flores and Warriors moundsman Jay Lambert.
The Bucs got off to a great start as leadoff hitter Enrique Figueroa hit his first collegiate home run. An opposite field blast over the right field fence. Lambert would settle in and not allow another hit until the fifth, when he gave up a single to Cole Gillespie.
The Gillespie single was part of a fifth inning which produced the Bucs second run. Diego Bejarano led off the inning with a walk, he was run for by Tommy Pinnow who advanced to second on the Gillespie knock, Pinnow moved to third on a fielder’s choice before being brough home by an Isaac Echiveste sacrifice fly.
Andrew Allanson would complete the scoring by launching a missile over the center field fence off of the Warriors bullpen to give the Bucs some insurance.
Insurance was not really needed as Buccaneer starter Junior Flores dealt snake eyes to the Midland hitters for six innings, allowing only three singles and struck out four as he did not walk a batter. Closer Diego Bustillos threw a 1-2-3 final inning to pick up his first save of the season and the 17th of his career.
This was only the second shutout in Bucs history, the first occurred two seasons ago in a 10-0 win over Antelope Valley.
The Buccaneers only had four hits themselves, but three of them were for extra bases, including the two home runs and a double by Caleb Rozier.
The game was completed in an hour and 39 minutes, a testament to the pitching and defense played by both teams.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow morning, February 10th for a double header at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Arizona Athletic Grounds. Senior right hander Eduardo Crosby and freshman lefty Ivri Margolin are the probable starters for the Bucs.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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