(Tempe, AZ) It was a tale of two games for the Park University Gilbert baseball team (14-26, 3-15) Friday afternoon at Tempe Diablo in Tempe, Ariz., against the–14 OUAZ Spirit (26-16, 10-8). In game one, errors put them behind the eight-ball as they lost 17-8. In game two, the Buc bats came alive in a 16-6 win over the Spirit.
Game 1 – OUAZ 17, Park Gilbert 8
Five Buccaneer errors led to 11 unearned runs for the Spirit in game one. Park starting pitcher Xavier Merrit (0-3) saw the brunt of the miscues as he allowed 13 runs in 3.2 innings but only 4 of them were earned.
On the offensive side of things Diego Bejarano was unstoppable all day. In game one Bejarano went 5-5 with two runs scored and an RBI as he tied the school record for hits in a game. Nick Miller had three hits and three RBI wile Caleb Rozier and Jesh Leckey each added two hits. Leckey also had two RBI.
Game 2 – Park Gilbert 16m OUAZ 6
Bejarano kept a hot bat in game two and it carried over to the rest of the team as the Bucs pounded out 16 hits and 16 RBI as the Bucs snapped their five game losing streak. Bejarano went 4-5 in game two with a run scored.
Bejarano also drove in four runs which made him the second Buccaneer to reach 100 RBI for his career. He is now just two RBI from breaking the school record for RBI (101) held by current Bucs assistant coach Austin Chouinard.
Rozier kept his hot bat as well with three hits and a pair of RBI/ Leckey waled three times to go along with one hits and three runs scored and three RBI. Brendan Blakeman also had two RBI.
On the mound, Hayden King, who has been a hard luck loser in many of his starts this season where he has pitched well but did not receive the offensive support, took full advantage of the additional help this afternoon. King went 5.0 innings allowing only two earned runs and striking out three.
Adrian Gamez closed things out with two scoreless innings and two strikeouts.
These two teams will meet again tomorrow at Tempe Diablo starting at 11 a.m. for another double header. Ben Staiger and Josh Leckey are the probable starters on the mound for the Bucs tomorrow.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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