The OUAZ softball team will play its first games away from Willow Canyon High School when they face off against a pair of ranked teams this weekend. The Spirit will travel to Fullerton to take on #12 Hope International on Friday, then head over to face seventh-ranked Vanguard on Saturday.

Hope International have had a lot of success against the Spirit, winning all eight matchups between the two programs. OUAZ has gotten closer with each game against the Royals, and lost 2-1 on a walk-off in the last meeting on Feb. 6, 2019 in Fullerton.

The Spirit will be searching for the first ever win over Vanguard on this trip as well, losing the first five games all-time. It was a battle in the last game against the Lions, as a three runs in the bottom of the third doomed OUAZ on Feb. 5, 2019.

The Spirit certainly have the talent on both sides to pull the upsets and get a split of the weekend. Pitching has done a great job not allowing the ball to get into play, striking out 89 batters, which is 14th most in the NAIA.

Bailey Coronado is heating up at the right time, as she completed a two-hit shutout over William Jessup last Saturday. Her 6.14 strikeouts per game is the best rate in the Golden State Athletic Conference. She has already logged a ton of work as well, with her 49 innings ranking 32nd most in the country.

Andraya Rhinehart and Mashayla Beltran have 10 of the Spirit's 18 doubles on the season, with Beltran having the team's only triple of the year. Rhinehart is hitting .373 and is using her speed when she gets on. She has 10 stolen bases on the year, which is third in the conference and 25th in the nation.

Live stats and video of both games can be found at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ottawaaz/. Friday's doubleheader at Hope is scheduled for 1:30PM AZ Time, and Saturday's final two games at Vanguard is set for 1:00PM.