SURPRISE, Ariz. – The OUAZ softball team had a day full of firsts as they split a doubleheader with Benedictine Mesa on Friday at Willow Canyon High School. The Spirit dropped the opener 8-7 before coming back to take game two 14-6.
OUAZ ended the day at 1-3 on the season while Benedictine Mesa also sits at 1-3.
GAME 1
OUAZ fell to the Redhawks in game one after Aisha Ensley hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to break a 7-7 tie and out BenU in front. The Spirit had twice rallied to tie or take the lead in the game, but each time the Redhawks answered back the following half inning.
The first of those rallies came in the bottom of the third when the Spirit batted around for the first time in school history and put four runs on the board.
Sydney Saxton Siaki had a two-run single in the inning to put the Spirit in front 4-2.
After BenU scored five in the fourth inning, OUAZ was able to tie the game with three runs in the sixth inning.
Heliana Bueno knocked in two runs with a single to left that tied the game with two outs. Saxton then hit a hard liner to left that was caught to end the inning and setup the heroics from Ensley.
Kelly Stumper had a pair of hits in the game with
Amanda Almond adding two RBI.
Sabrina Jimenez (0-2) took the loss in relief after allowing four runs (one earned), and four hits with three strikeouts in her four innings of work.
Bailey Coronado went three innings and allowed four runs on two hits.
GAME 2
The OUAZ offense came alive In game two by scoring a school record 14 runs on another school record 15 hits. They closed their first win of the season by scoring six runs in the sixth inning to notch the program's first run-rule victory on the most runs the team has ever scored in one inning.
A four-run third inning had the Spirit turn a 3-2 deficit into a 6-3 lead they never gave back. It was 8-6 heading to the bottom of the sixth when OUAZ really turned it on.
Alicia Young doubled home the first run of the inning and then Saxton and Almond each knocked in a run. After
Caitlyn Swisher walked for the third time in the game,
Miranda Davis ripped a two-run double to left center. That was followed by a walkoff single from Aggers to complete the 6-run inning without making an out.
Aggers and Young each had three hits in the game with
Emily Stebbins, Bueno, and Saxton adding two hits apiece. Davis and Saxton each posted three RBI in the win.
OUAZ added another school record with five doubles.
Alexandra McCutcheon (1-0) was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion as the freshmen earned her first career victory. She threw a complete game allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits with three strikeouts.
UP NEXT
OUAZ now gets set for their first road trip of the season as they head to Lake Elsinore, California to play five games at the SoCal NAIA Classic on February 8-9. The trip includes games against No. 3 Southern Oregon and No. 16 Corban.
