SURPRISE, ARIZ. – The OUAZ softball team hoped to break its four-game losing streak as they entered conference play on Friday. While the Spirit hung around until the latter innings in each of the games, a big inning in each matchup led to a sweep at the hands of Menlo College.
Game 1 – MENLO 6, OUAZ 2
OUAZ trailed 1-0 after the top half of the first inning thanks to an RBI triple from the Oaks' Mia Thompson, but the Spirit got that run back and added another thanks to
Avery Bohn's two-RBI double down the right field line.
Menlo tied the game in the third inning with another Thompson RBI, and then Thompson broke the deadlock in the top of the fifth with her third RBI hit of the afternoon. Makenna Weiler and Noeah Hee each drove in a run in the sixth while the Spirit failed to score after the first frame.
Mashayla Beltran was perfect at the dish, going 3-for-3 and scoring a run in the first. The Spirit had five hits in total, with Bohn and
Kelly Stumper recording the other two.
Phoebe Popplewell gave up four hits and was charged with the first two runs in two innings. In relief,
Alexandra McCutcheon finished the final five, giving up four runs (three earned), seven hits and managed to strike out two batters. Menlo's Victoria Cervantes got her third win of the season, and after giving up three hits in the first, allowed only two more in the final six innings.
Game 2 – MENLO 6, OUAZ 2
The second game did not bring any more offense for OUAZ, as the team scored two runs for the second straight contest and went 3-13 with runners in scoring position. The Oaks scored the game's first run in the top of the second after an error by
Andraya Rhinehart, and it would be the only run of the game until the seventh.
The Spirit had ample opportunities to tie the game and potentially take the lead, as they had runners in scoring position in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth before finally breaking through in the seventh.
By the time the Spirit scored its runs in the final inning, the Oaks scored five of its own in the top half to take a 6-0 lead. Menlo knocked six hits off of starter
Bailey Coronado in the top of the seventh before Popplewell came in to get the final two outs.
Prior to the disastrous seventh, Coronado had scattered five hits over six innings to go along with three strikeouts and giving up only one run. Vivian Valencia picked up her fourth win of the season, giving up just the two runs in the final inning despite surrendering nine hits. Valencia fanned five OUAZ batters while only issuing one free pass.
The Spirit will look to get its first conference win of the season on Saturday when they host William Jessup for a doubleheader at Willow Canyon High School. First pitch is scheduled for Noon AZ Time.
