(Surprise, AZ) The Park University Gilbert softball team (15-15, 7-7) opened its series against the Ottawa University Arizona Spirit (24-16, 4-10) with a doubleheader sweep, Friday evening at the Willow Canyon High School softball field in Surprise, Ariz.
The Buccaneers get back to .500 both overall and in Great Southwest Athletic Conference play after a pair of wins Friday. Park-Gilbert moves its all-time record against OUAZ to 5-8, following a day where the team recorded 22 hits between the two games.
Game 1: Park-Gilbert 11 OUAZ 5
After trailing for majority of this opening contest, the Buccaneer bats warmed up in the final three innings en route to a high-scoring victory.
OUAZ took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, a lead they’d hold onto for four innings as no runs were scored in the second, third, or fourth.
The Bucs responded in the top of the fifth inning by taking four runs in three consecutive at-bats. Center fielder Ledezma Romero got an RBI single with runners on the corners. Next up, third baseman Ileana Rivera doubled which drove another two runs in. Then designated player Alejandra Castro singled to center field which brought pinch runner Valentina Perez home.
Park-Gilbert opened another scoring run in the top of the seventh inning, as the Buccaneers recorded six runs and seven hits in the frame. Catcher Lina Sanchez, who went 3-5 in game one, starting the run off with an RBI double. Rebekka Nance, who pinch hit for left fielder Kimora Phillips, got an RBI single; but an infielding error on Nance’s at-bat brought another run home to make the score 7-1.
Once again the Bucs drove runs home in three consecutive at-bats, this time in the final inning of the contest. Romero brought a pair of runs in with her second RBI single. Rivera got her third RBI of the game, bringing in two runs off her base hit and an outfielding error. Shortstop Kayla Seto brought Park’s final run home, as she went 1-1 with an RBI in game one.
On the circle for the Bucs in this opening contest was Samara Romero (6-6), who played the entire game striking out four batters off 126 total pitches.
Park-Gilbert had 15 hits to OUAZ’s eight, as both teams recorded four errors. The Buccaneers had 36 at-bats, the most they’ve ever had in a game this season.
Game 2: Park-Gilbert 4 OUAZ 3
The second game of this doubleheader required some late-game heroics, which the Bucs were able to pull off to escape with win number two on the day.
Park-Gilbert stuck first in the top of the third inning, as they scored a pair of runs off an RBI double from Rivera and RBI single from Nance two at-bats later.
After starting down 2-0 through four innings, the Spirit took the lead back after scoring three runs in the top of the fifth.
This set the stage for Park-Gilbert’s late-game rally, which Mana Risati kicked off with a home run to left field in the top of the sixth; her third of the season. Then in the top of the seventh, the Bucs were able to get the bases loaded. Samara Romero pinch hit for catcher Bri Jackson, and she was walked; bringing the tie-breaking run home. Samara was the third batter to be walked in that frame, as Rivera and Sanchez also took a base.
Elisa Garcia got the start on the circle for game two, as she recorded one strikeout and threw 84 pitches. Risati came in to relieve during the bottom of the fifth inning, striking out two batters on 54 pitches.
The Spirit out-hit Park-Gilbert 13-7 in game two but recorded four errors to the Bucs’ one.
Up Next
The Bucs and Spirit wrap up their conference series tomorrow, April 12, with some more doubleheader action at Willow Canyon HS in Surprise, Ariz. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. MST while game two is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. MST.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Garrett Campbell
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