SURPRISE, Ariz. – The OUAZ baseball team completed a perfect week by sweeping two games against Bethesda on Saturday. The Spirit took the opener 14-4 before holding on for a 6-4 win in the nightcap.
The two wins moves OUAZ to 7-3 overall this season and pushes their winning streak to four straight games.
GAME 1
OUAZ jumped out a 5-0 lead with three runs in the first and two more in the second. After Bethesda posted four runs in their half of the third, the Spirit quickly responded with five more in the bottom of the frame.
The Spirit's 14 runs and 17 hits are both season highs.
Austin Shumaker,
Esteban Martinez, and
Rick Vasquez each had three hits while
Chandler Reynard and
Conner McKinney had two hits apiece. Shumaker, McKinney, and
Lester Acoba all had a double.
McKinney and Martinez drove in three runs each with
Chuck Steele adding two RBI. Shumaker scored a school record five runs.
Hayden Durkiewicz (1-0) allowed four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts over six innings to earn the win.
Miguel Cirino notched his second save with three perfect innings and five strikeouts.
GAME 2
Shumaker tallied another three hits – including a pair of triples – to lead the Spirit in game two. His 2-run triple in the seventh inning opened a 5-1 lead that reached 6-1 when he scored seventh run of the day later in the inning.
Acoba added a pair of RBI in the second inning while Martinez and
Adrian Salazar each adding a double among the Spirit's eight total hits.
Cole Anderson (1-0) gave up on unearned run over six innings to secure the win. He allowed six hits with six strikeouts.
Travis Turner closed out his first save of the season with his 10th strikeout of the 11 outs he has recorded this season.
OUAZ will now take to the road for a non-conference game at Saint Katherine on Wednesday. The Spirit will open GSAC play at Westmont with doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday in Santa Barbara, California.
