(Glendale, AZ) The Park University Gilbert softball team (7-9, 1-3) split the final doubleheader of its series against the Arizona Christian University Firestorm (11-11, 6-2), Saturday afternoon at the ACU Softball Field in Glendale, Ariz.
The Buccaneers, in their lone series against ACU this season, won one out of four games played this Thursday and Saturday. They currently hold a 1-3 record in Great Southwest Athletic Conference play, tied with No. 17 Hope International for last place in the GSAC standings.
Game 1: Park 7 ACU 4
The Buccaneer bats started the day strong, securing the three-run victory in the first contest of this Saturday doubleheader. This was Park-Gilbert’s first win on ACU’s home turf since April 4, 2023, when the team won 6-4 in extra innings (11).
Designated player Alejandra Castro got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning, with a single RBI to left field, bringing center fielder Ledezma Romero home.
In the bottom of the second, first baseman Noelle Gumm brought Park-Gilbert’s second run in with a double to right center.
Arizona Christian cut Park’s 2-0 lead down to 2-1 in the top of the third inning via bunt single RBI from pitcher Danna Hererra.
Gumm responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with another RBI, this time a double to center field.
The fifth inning saw a combined six runs from both teams; two for the Firestorm and four from the Buccaneers. Pitcher Elisa Garica came in clutch with a double to center field, bringing home two runs to make the score 5-3 in favor of Park. Left fielder Kimora Phillips then singled up the middle to bring Garcia home, and Gumm brought her third run home this game with a single to center field to make the score 7-3.
Hererra recorded another RBI for the Firestorm in the bottom of the sixth inning, adding one final run to the scoreboard in this contest.
Samara Romero started on the mound for the Bucs, throwing 89 pitches and recording two strikeouts in 4.2 innings played. Garcia (2-4) came in relief and picked up the win, as she threw 39 pitches and only allowed two hits.
Gumm and Castro both went 3-4 at the plate with three RBIs each; a new single-game season high for Gumm.
The Bucs totaled 13 hits and one error, to the Firestorm’s nine hits and one error.
Game 2: ACU 8 Park-Gilbert 5
The final game of this conference-opening series for Park-Gilbert left more to be desired on the offensive end, as the team struggled to keep pace with Arizona Christian early on.
The Bucs faced an early 2-0 deficit heading into the bottom of the first. With runners on the corners, Park got on the scoreboard as Gumm stole home.
ACU took a jump on the game’s momentum in the top of the third inning, posting five runs and four hits. Two of those hits were triples that converted into three RBIs, as the top of the inning ended with Arizona Christian holding a 7-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Gumm recorded her first RBI of the game and her fourth of the day with a single to center field.
The Firestorm’s final run of the day came off a sacrifice fly to left field, with one out and the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning. Buccaneers catcher Lina Sanchez brought a run in during the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 8-3. Park then added two more runs to the board in the bottom of the seventh, with a double from Castro and a second RBI from Sanchez.
Garcia (2-5) started game two for the Bucs, throwing 46 pitches and facing 13 batters. Samara Romero came to relieve in the sixth inning, closing the game out with 79 pitches and facing 22 batters.
These two saw plenty of time on the mound in this series against Arizona Christian. Romero threw for 271 total pitches and Garcia threw 144 total pitches, each making three appearances.
The Bucs recorded back-to-back games with double-digit hits with 10 in this contest. They totaled three errors, while ACU recorded 11 hits and no errors in game two.
Up Next
Park-Gilbert up for a non-conference bout with the Simpson University next week in a doubleheader this Tuesday, March 18.
This head coaching matchup between Simpson’s Wayne Stower and Park-Gilbert’s TJ Stower pins father against son for the first time in their careers. Wayne has been the Redhawks’ head coach since 2008. TJ spent seven years as the strength & conditioning coach from 2012-2018, assisting with recruiting, hitting, and catching as well.
The first game of this doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. MST, and the second is slated to begin at 1 p.m. MST. Both games will be played at Arizona Athletic Grounds.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Garrett Campbell
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