SURPRISE, Ariz. – The OUAZ softball team saw its season come to an end on Wednesday night with a split of a doubleheader against Arizona Christian at Willow Canyon High School. Arizona Christian took the first game of the night 9-2 before OUAZ came back to win the nightcap 6-4.
 
The results end the Spirit's season with a 16-27 overall record and a sixth-place finish in the GSAC at 9-15. Arizona Christian ended the day 29-18 overall and 11-13 in the conference.
 
GAME 1
After ACU scored in the top of the first, Caitlyn Swisher singled in a run in the bottom of the inning to level the contest at 1-1. The visitors would add a second run in the fourth inning and then struck for seven in the top of the fifth. Sydney Saxton Siaki doubled home a run in the bottom of the fifth for the game's final tally.
 
OUAZ recorded eight hits in the loss with Emily Stebbins going 3 for 3. Marissa Zacchio added a double and Amanda Almond ripped a triple in defeat.
 
Alexandra McCutcheon (6-11) allowed just two runs on five hits in four innings. Sabrina Jimenez gave up seven runs (four earned) in one inning. Serenida Marquez finished the game with two scoreless innings.
 
GAME 2
ACU again struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first only to see the Spirit come back with two of their own on RBI from Kelly Stumper and Stebbins. Miranda Davis tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth inning with an RBI single.
 
OUAZ took control of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI single from Stumper and a 2-run double from Stebbins for a 6-3 lead. The Firestorm got a leadoff home run followed by a single to start the seventh, but OUAZ turned a double play and forced a ground out to complete the split.
 
Stebbins added another three hits in the win giving her six hits on the day and her first two 3-hit games of the season. Davis also had three hits and another three stolen bases for a GSAC leading 37 on the season.
 
Bailey Coronado (9-9) earned the win to even her season record. She allowed nine hits and four runs with one walk without a strikeout. Her performance capped a 14-appearnace run to finish the season in which she went 8-2 with a 1.16 ERA and lowed her season ERA from 5.18 to 2.85.
 
SEASON TIDBITS
While the Spirit improved their win total from 10 to 16 from last season to this, they improved their overall record by 8.5 games overall when factoring all games played.
 
After posting a 4-19 record at home in 2018, OUAZ was 11-14 when playing in Surprise this season. That counts for six-game improvement overall when factoring total games played.
 
The 2019 squad finished its year with a .280 batting average and .710 OPS after hitting .265 with a .652 OPS in 2018. They lowered their team ERA from 6.58 to 4.61 as well.