SURPRISE, Ariz. – The OUAZ baseball team opened its final home GSAC series of the season by dropping both games of the doubleheader to Arizona Christian on the Kansas City Royals Field No. 4 at the Surprise Stadium Complex on Friday evening.
With the day's results, OUAZ falls to 19-23 on the season and 8-18 in the GSAC. Arizona Christian improved to 28-17 overall and 17-7 in the conference to move into first-place.
GAME 1
Arizona Christian built a 6-0 lead in the first five innings with the help of two solo home runs from Cohen Heckenthorn in the second and fourth innings.
The Spirit cut the deficit in half with a 3-run seventh inning.
Connor Lowrie's RBI groundout started the scoring with
Lester Acoba adding a sacrifice fly and
Chandler Reynard an RBI single.
The Firestorm responded with four runs in the top of the eighth for a 10-3 lead.
Derek Hayenga picked up an RBI double in the bottom of the frame and then scored on a single from
Chuck Steele for the final tally.
Hayenga and Steele had two hits apiece to lead the team's 9-hit total. Hayenga's double was the lone extra base hit by the team.
Travis Hawkins (4-5) allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings.
Daniel Cardenas finished the game with one strikeout in 1.1 innings.
GAME 2
Connor Lowrie put the Spirit in front 1-0 with an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning. ACU evened the game in the top of the third with a solo homer from Todd Furr.
Hayden Durkiewicz delivered a 2-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning that gave the Spirit a 3-1 advantage. Again, the Firestorm has an answer with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. They then tacked on three runs in the seventh inning to complete the sweep.
OUAZ picked up eight hits in the loss with Durkiewicz,
Chandler Reynard, and
Rylan Collins getting two apiece. Collins had a double for the lone extra base hit of the game for the Spirit.
Zack McLeod worked into the sixth inning with three runs and five hits allowed.
Taylor Campos (0-2) took the loss out of the pen after giving up three runs on four hits in two innings.
UP NEXT
The two teams will bring their season series to a close on Saturday with a pair of games on Royals Field No. 4. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 2 p.m.