SURPRISE, Ariz. – The new OUAZ baseball season got off to a slow start on Thursday as No. 25 Benedictine Mesa jumped out early and defeated the Spirit 12-5 on Texas Rangers Field 3 at the Surprise Recreation Complex in the first day of the Maricopa Cup.
 
OUAZ (0-1) trailed 10-0 before breaking through on a sacrifice fly from Zachary Lehman in the bottom of the fifth inning. Fernando Lugo picked up an RBI in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Spirit got RBI from Ben Lewis, Hunter Lessard, and Deon Reese in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Lewis had three hits – including a double – and two runs scored in his OUAZ debut. Hunter Parks and Eddie Ortiz had two hits apiece.
 
Anthony Quattrocchi (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts in three innings of work. Shane Flaningam allowed a run but struck out the side in the eighth and then Hayden Sandman worked a perfect ninth for the Spirit.
 
The Spirit had 12 hits as a team with Griffin Hagen and Parks also recording a double. Daniel Partida tallied the team's lone stolen base of the day.
 
Benedictine Mesa (1-0) knocked out 15 hits and drew seven walks. Aaron Vernon (1-0) earned the win after allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts in five innings.
 
In the other Maricopa Cup game of the day, Arizona Christian defeated Park Gilbert, 13-5.
 
The Maricopa Cup continues on Friday with Arizona Christian serving as host as Apollo High School. The first game features Park Gilbert facing Benedictine Mesa at 2 p.m. OUAZ will then face Arizona Christian on 6 p.m.