(Mesa, AZ) The Park University Gilbert softball team (24-22, 7-13) split a pair of games with the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Eagles (26-16, 11-7), Friday afternoon at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Ariz.
The Buccaneers and Eagles split their Great Southwest Athletic Conference series 2-2, as each of these two teams picked up a win Friday afternoon.
Park-Gilbert’s bats were strong throughout the series. In Saturday afternoon’s Game 2, the Bucs logged a season-high 17 hits which ties for the second most in program history.
Game 1: ERAU 10 PARK 8
The Bucs jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start this contest, courtesy of a triple to left center from right fielder Mady Lackey. Lackey went 3-4 at the plate in Game 1 with three RBIs. Later in the top of the fourth, Embry-Riddle responded with four runs of their own as they hit three home runs in that frame.
Second baseman Amaya Ruiz answered that run with her first home run of the season, a three-run shot that gave the Bucs a 7-4 lead.
Embry-Riddle went on to score six runs in the fifth and sixth innings en route to a win. The final run of this game came from a homer to right center from Bucs third baseman Lizzy Aguilar, her third on the year.
Yaz Bernal started in the circle for Park-Gilbert, pitching 3.1 innings. Bernal allowed four hits and four runs before Grace Jump (4-8) came in relief. Samara Romero closed out the final 2.1 innings, logging two strikeouts and three hits allowed.
The Bucs logged eight hits to he Eagles’ 11, as both teams recorded an error.
Game 2: PARK 12 ERAU 5
First-baseman and three-hole hitter Noelle Gumm got the Bucs on the board in the top of the first with a two-run homer to start Game 2. The Eagles then added three runs in the second and third innings.
Park then took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from Aguilar and RBI double from Anna Chavez. After ERAU tied things up in the top of the fourth, freshman catcher Bri Titus logged her second career grand slam to give the Bucs a four-run lead.
After Embry tacked on a run in the top of the fifth, Park-Gilbert ripped off four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Gumm, Chavez and Romero each drove in at least one run in that frame.
Daysy Jaurez picked up her sixth win of the season in her 11th start of the season. Juarez struck out two batters and pitched 5.0 innings. Bernal and Romero closed out the sixth and seventh innings respectively, each allowing just one hit and zero runs.
Eight out of the nine Park-Gilbert batters got four at-bats in this contest. Gumm went 3-4 with four RBIs. Chavez and left fielder Dionna Leanio also went 3-4 at the plate.
Up Next
The Buccaneers return to the field for their final series of the season this Thursday and Friday, when they host the Ottawa University Arizona Spirit at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Ariz. First pitch on Thursday is scheduled for 11 a.m. MST and Game 2 will begin at 1 p.m. MST.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Garrett Campbell
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