Conference play did not get off to the ideal start OUAZ softball was looking for last weekend, but had an opportunity to get back to where they wanted on Friday against 12th-ranked Hope International. It was a difficult first game, but the Spirit rebounded and upset the Royals to start the road trip with a split.

Game 1 – (12)Hope International 13, OUAZ 2
The Spirit gave up three runs in the bottom of the first, and it got worse in the bottom of the second. Hope scored ten runs during its second round of at-bats on Friday afternoon, where the Royals scored six runs thanks in part to a pair of home runs and a triple before recording an out.

OUAZ scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a pair of hit by pitches and a walk, which saw two of those runners come around. It was not enough to avoid the run-rule, as the Spirit lost its ninth straight contest to the Royals.

Kelly Stumper managed OUAZ's only hit in game one, and Andraya Rhinehart drove in the first run in the fifth. Baylei Ozuna and Samantha Miller scored the runs during the fifth-inning rally.

Game 2 – OUAZ 4, (12)Hope International 3
True resilience was shown by OUAZ, as they had to battle back from a tough situation to take a lead in the top of the seventh. The Spirit managed just four hits, but were aided by four Royal errors on its way to the first road win of the season.

The Spirit fell down 1-0 after the bottom of the second, but answered with two of its own in the top of the third. After recording two quick outs, Katelyn Chambers reached on an error by Melanie Okazaki to keep the inning alive. Jada Cruz was then hit by a pitch, Avery Bohn singled home Chambers, and Rachel Stockseth doubled to bring in Cruz.

Both teams struggled to not only get runs, but to get hits as well after the Spirit took the lead. Hope International locked in for the bottom of the sixth, as they scored two runs to steal the lead back heading into the top of the seventh.

With its last three outs, OUAZ made the most of it as the Royals made three errors to help across two Spirit runs. The Spirit did not record a hit to take the lead back, as they took a walk and two HBPs along with the three errors.

Phoebe Popplewell bounced back after giving up the two runs in the sixth to close out the win, navigating her way around a walk and a double. Popplewell went the distance, giving up seven hits and striking out a pair of batters.

Saturday presents another opportunity to take down a top-15 team, as the Spirit head to Costa Mesa to face #7 Vanguard. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1pm AZ Time.