A(The Park University Gilbert baseball team split its double header with Embry Riddle Aeronautical University this afternoon, winning the first game 10-4 and dropping the second contest 10-3. But the story of the day was Buccaneer first baseman Diego Bejaranowho became the school’s all-time leader in RBI’s.
Game 1 – Park Gilbert 10, Embry Riddle 4
The Buccaneers scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back as they won game one of the double header 10-4.
Coming into the contest, Bejarano was tied with Austin Chouinard for the school record for RBI’s with 101. Bejarano had his first opportunity to break the record in the first with runners on second and third with one out. The Eagles thought better of pitching to the lefty who came into the game hitting .431. He was walked on five pitches.
Bejarano’s next two at bats came with the bases empty but he scalded two balls, the first went right to the shortstop and he was robbed of a hit in the next at bat by a diving catch on the warning track.
But as baseball taketh away, baseball also giveth. In his next at bat in the sixth inning with the bases loaded, Bejarano got jammed on a pitch and the ball was not hit hard but was hit in the right place; just past a diving Eagles shortstop into left field for a base hit to drive home RBI 102 of his career.
Bejarano would pick up RBI 103 in the eighth on a check swing bunt which resulted in an infield single and another RBI as Will Fleece scored from third. After hitting two balls right on the screws, both RBIs came on ball which were not hit hard but that’s baseball.
Bejarano was not the only Buc with a multi-hit day as Jesh Leckey also had two hits, two runs and an RBI. Eric Rojo added two runs and two RBI.
On the mound, Xavier Merrit (1-3) had his best outing on the bump as a Buc pitching 5.0 innings allowing four hits and no runs. He walked two and hit five batters but managed to pitch out of difficulty in multiple innings. This was Merrit’s longest outing of the season.
Trey Langan came in and pitched the last four innings to pick up the save. The four innings was his longest outing of the year as he allowed six hits and four runs. He walked four and struck out four.
Game 2 – Embry Riddle 10, Park Gilbert 3 (7 innings)
This game was tight through four innings. Embry Riddle scored two in the first and one in the second and the Bucs reversed the scoring, plating one in the first and two in the second.
The Eagles finally got back on the board in the fifth, getting three runs in both the fifth and sixth off of Bucs starter Hayden King (1-7) who allowed 12 hits and nine runs. They finished the scoring with a solo run in the seventh off of reliever Sunny Patel.
Rees Hall did the damage at the plate for the Bucs with two hits and two RBI. Evan Vander Valk had a hit and an RBI and Bejarano kept things going with another hit.
The Bucs close out the season tomorrow with one final double header against Embry Riddle. The Eagles are still playing for a playoff spot as they need to win both games tomorrow and hope to get some help from Benedictine Mesa against The Master’s.
GAME NOTES
Diego Bejarano will go down as the best hitter in Park Gilbert history. Here is a look at the records he now owns or shares.
GAME NOTES
Diego Bejarano will go down as the best hitter in Park Gilbert history. Here is a look at the records he now owns or shares.
| CAREER RECORDS | SEASON RECORDS |
| Games- 153 (1st) | Batting Average – .431 – 1st (current) |
| At Bats – 524 (1st) | Hits – 62 – 3rd (6 hits from record) |
| Runs – 104 (1st) | |
| Hits – 183 (1st) | SINGLE GAME RECORDS |
| Doubles – 29 (2nd) | Hits – 5 |
| Total Bases 228 (2nd) | |
| RBI 103 (1st) | |
| Walks – 65 (1st) | |
| Sacrifice Flys – 9 (1st) | |
| Hit by Pitch – 21 (T-1st) |
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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