(Prescott, AZ) The Park University Gilbert softball team (17-19, 9-11) fell in its final doubleheader of the 2025 regular season, closing out its series with the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Eagles (25-9, 14-6) Wednesday afternoon, on the road in Prescott, Ariz.
Despite the series loss to an Eagles team, who received votes in the latest NAIA Top-25 rankings, the Buccaneers’ season continues on as they secured the No. 4 seed in the Great Southwest Athletic Championships Tuesday afternoon.
Game 1: ERAU 12 Park-Gilbert 4
The Bucs found themselves in an early 7-0 deficit through this game’s first two innings, but found a way to claw back into contention before the Eagles opened another scoring run in the later innings.
Park-Gilbert got their first run in the top of the third inning, as they rattled off four runs to keep their hopes alive. The scoring run started with an RBI double from designated player Alejandra Castro. Catcher Lina Sanchezfollowed that up with an RBI double of her own, driving in a pair of runs. Then pitcher Mana Risati made the score 7-4 with an RBI single to right field.
The momentum turned out to be short-lived as the Eagles rattled off a run in the third inning, two runs in the fifth inning, and another pair of runs in the sixth inning. Embry Riddle hit three home runs in game one, which drove in six of their runs.
The Bucs recorded five hits and one error to the Eagles’ 18 hits and no errors.
Game 2: ERAU 8 Park-Gilbert 7
While game two had a higher degree of competitive nature, the Bucs ultimately fell short in their final game of the 2025 regular season; losing on a walk-off RBI in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Sanchez got the Bucs on the board first in the opening frame, with her second RBI double on the day. Embry Riddle responded in the bottom of the first and second rattling off five runs.
Sanchez, the senior catcher and outfielder from Clovis, Calif., went 3-3 in game two and recorded yet another RBI double on the day; this time driving two runs in to make the score 4-6 in the top of the fifth. Later in the frame, starting pitcher Elisa Garcia recorded an RBI single to right field to cut ERAU’s lead to one run then catcher Bri Jackson tied things up at six with an RBI bunt.
After the Eagles took a 6-5 lead with a solo home run, left fielder Kimora Phillips pinch hit for Sanchez and hit a sacrifice fly RBI to left field; which brought the tying run home before Embry-Riddle escaped with a walk-off RBI single in the final inning.
The Bucs totaled 13 hits to the Eagles’ 10 hits, as both teams played error-free softball.
Up Next
Park-Gilbert will return to Prescott on Tuesday, April 29 at 3:00 p.m. MST, to face the GSAC regular season champion Hope International University Royals in the first round of the conference championships.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Garrett Campbell
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