RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The Ottawa University Arizona baseball team picked up their first win in program history on Sunday afternoon at La Sierra University. OUAZ dropped game one against the Eagles 6-4 and then came back and defeated La Sierra University in game two by a final of 10-6.

With the split Sunday, the Spirit move to 1-5 overall on the young season. With the split, La Sierra University sees their record move to 5-2 on the season.
 
"I was very pleased how we played today from start to finish in both games," said OUAZ head baseball coach Tim Montez. "Even though we came up short in the first game, we competed and got better today. I am proud of this group and how they stayed together through a lot of adversity over the last three days."
 
Montez continued, "We got stellar pitching performances from Xavier Luna and Dylan Chelini, which took a lot of pressure off of our bullpen. We executed offensively led by Chandler Reynard. We will continue to grow as a group, which will help build the foundation of our first year program."
 
In game one Sunday both teams struggled from a defensive standpoint, as the Spirit and Eagles combined to make seven errors in the game. La Sierra struck first offensively, scoring a run in the third inning to take the early 1-0 lead. OUAZ would then respond with four runs total in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. The Eagles answered right back with a run of their own in the seventh inning, and a four run eighth inning to seal the 6-4 victory.
 
In the loss, OUAZ outhit the Eagles nine to six. Chandler Reynard, Greg Saenz, and Adrian Salazar all finished with two hits apiece. Spirit  starting pitcher Xavier Luna was strong in his first start of the year, going five innings while surrendering one unearned run on one hit with three strikeouts.
 
In game two Sunday, the Spirit attacked early on the Eagles and never looked back enroot to their first victory in program history. OUAZ's offense plated seven runs in the first inning. The finished the top of the first inning with four hits, they capitalized on a pair of Eagle errors and they still left the bases loaded. The Spirit would tack on a run in the fifth inning and added two more in the seventh inning to take the 10-6 victory in a final seven innings.
 
OUAZ starting pitcher Dylan Chelini went four innings in the win, while allowing three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
 
Chandler Reynard led the Spirit offense in game two, finishing 3-for-5 from the plate in the leadoff spot, with three RBI's and a run scored. Esteban Martinez was a perfect 2-for-2 in the second spot in the batting order for OUAZ, with three walks, two RBI's, and a run scored.
 
The Spirit return to action this Friday and Saturday, as they play a pair of exhibitions against Glendale Community College. First pitch is scheduled for 3pm this Friday in Glendale. OUAZ returns to regular season play on February 7^th, when the Spirit travel to Fullerton, California for a doubleheader against Hope International University.
   
 
About Ottawa University
Founded in 1865, Ottawa University prepares professional and liberal arts graduates for lifetimes of personal significance, vocational fulfillment and service to God and humanity within a Christ-inspired community of grace and open inquiry. Ottawa University is a comprehensive, not-for-profit educational institution serving 3,000 students through its residential campuses in Ottawa, Kan., and Surprise, Ariz., and adult campuses in Overland Park, Kan.; Phoenix, Queen Creek and Surprise, Ariz.; Brookfield, Wis.; Jeffersonville, Ind.; as well as online. For more information, visit www.ottawa.edu. 
 
For more information about OUAZ athletics, visit http://www.ottawa.edu/ouaz/athletics. Follow OUAZ athletics on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OUAZSpiritAthletics/ and on Twitter twitter.com/OUAZSpirit.