(Gilbert, AZ) The Park University Gilbert softball team split a pair of games with Westcliff University today at McQueen Park. They dropped the first contest 12-0 before rallying late to win game two 3-2. The Buccaneers move to 18-27 overall and 13-10 to finish conference play.
Game 1 – Westcliff 12, Park Gilbert 0
The Buccaneers couldn’t break through on the score board against Westcliff’s ace Emily Rosas who threw five scoreless innings to pick up her 21st win of the season.
The game was much closer than the final score would indicate as Westcliff scored one in the first and three in the third. The difference came with an eight-run eighth inning which opened the game up.
The Bucs only managed four hits for the game but had opportunities as they left eight runners on base.
Nicole Darby (1-6), who picked up her first collegiate win yesterday, took the loss today allowing five runs (2 earned) in 4.2 innings.
Game 2 – Park Gilbert 3, Westcliff 2
The Buccaneers finally broke through on Rosas and rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 3-2 walk off win.
Westcliff got on the board first with an unearned run in the second on an errant throw by Bucs starting pitcher Christian Smith which allowed a runner on first to come all the way around to score.
The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the fourth after a lead off single was misplayed into a three base error and a sacrifice fly plated run number two.
The Bucs grinded out a run in the bottom of the fourth as a walk, a hit by pitch and a single loaded the bases. Then Monica Chon had a great at bat, laying off the Rosas rise ball to work a walk and bring home the Bucs first run.
Park Gilbert ace Abril Nerey had not pitched all series as the coaching staff wanted to rest her ahead of the conference tournament. But with the game on the line Nerey was brought in to hold the Warriors to two runs which is exactly what she did. Nerey did not allow a hit over the final 2.1 innings while striking out five.
This set the stage for the Bucs comeback in the seventh. Rosas was now in her 12th inning of the day and had thrown over 200 pitches total between the two games coming into the final frame. Noelle Gumm who already had two hits, scalded a line drive which was caught on a lunging effort by the Westcliff shortstop to rob the Bucs of a lead off hit.
Danielle Farinas then ripped a double off the wall in right center which almost left the yard. Ledezma Romero who the laced a ball into the left center gap. The Westcliff centerfielder made a diving effort to catch the ball and missed, the ball rolled to the wall and Farinas scored to tie the game and Romero ended at third with a triple.
This brought up clean up hitter Elisa Cueva. Cueva known more as a power hitter, than a small ball player was asked to lay down a bunt. She fouled off the first one, but she executed the second one to perfection as Romero scored as Westcliff could not get the ball to the catcher in time to get the Bucs speedy centerfielder.
Park had nine hits off of Rosas in the game, led by two hits from Gumm, Cueva and Taylor Mount.
Nerey (10-11) picked up her 10th win of the season and the Bucs put themselves in a solid position to be the third seed at the upcoming conference tournament at Embry Riddle.
The Bucs sit at 13-10 and are still awaiting a decision from the conference on the Westcliff protest of the second game in the series. If the Bucs are given the forfeit, they would pick up win 14 and would lock up the No. 3 seed. If they lose the protest, the Bucs could still fall to the No. 4 seed if Simpson wins all four games against La Sierra this weekend.
The California Pacific Conference Tournament takes place Wednesday through Friday May 1-3 in Prescott, Ariz., on the campus of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
Click on Logo
