SURPRISE, Ariz. – The OUAZ Spirit Softball team participated in their first road doubleheader of the season by visiting Benedictine Mesa on Saturday, and coming away with a split decision. The first game ended in a close 7-6 Spirit loss but the OUAZ bats really came alive in the nightcap in a run rule decision (14-5) over the Redhawks. OUAZ is now 2-2 on the year.
GAME 1: OUAZ 6, Benedictine Mesa: 7
In the first game, the Spirit lineup recorded 13 hits in 34 at bats (.383) and just one strike out.
After a quiet first inning, OUAZ junior Breanna Gonzalez gave the Spirit a 1-0 lead with her first homer of the year.
In the third, OUAZ increased its lead to 2-0 when Charlene De Anda scored on Gonzalez's RBI double. Kelli Samoran closed out both the third and fifth innings for the Spirit, with a pair of RBI singles, putting OUAZ up 4-0.
The Redhawk's came back scoring six runs in the fifth before Spirit junior Brooklynne Esquibel hit a two-run RBI single in the seventh, tying the score at 6-6. BMSU scored the winning run in its half of the seventh on an OUAZ error.
Three OUAZ pitchers saw action including junior Jazmine Ayala who got the start and the loss. Both Sophomore Sadie Levandowski and graduate student Alexandra McCutcheon provided relief in the game.
GAME 2: OUAZ 14, Benedictine Mesa 5
In the second game of the day, the Spirit posted their largest winning margin ever against the Redhawks and their second most runs ever scored in a game. OUAZ batters were 12 for 26 (.461) for the game with just two strikeouts.
The Redhawks started the game off with the first run but OUAZ came back strong with five runs in their half of the second. Sadie Levandowski, who went 2 for 3 scoring three runs, hit a two-run RBI single followed by Elysa Moreno's RBI single. Moreno advanced on a passed ball to send Odalys Garcia-Peret in. The inning ended with Moreno scoring off Breanna Gonzalez's RBI single.
The third, fourth and fifth inning solidified the Spirit's win and the early end to the game. The remaining eight runs were scored in the back half including another RBI double for Gonzalez, an RBI single from Moreno and a sac-fly RBI from Garcia-Peret.
Starting pitcher Alex McCutcheon earned her first win of the season, allowing just five hits and three runs in four innings. Junior Haylee Sanchez closed out the game, taking the mound for the first time in her OUAZ career.
UP NEXT
The OUAZ Spirit Softball team will be back in Surprise on Thursday, Feb. 2 for a double header against No. 7 Oregon Tech and Friday, Feb. 3 to take on a double header against Embry-Riddle. Games are played at WIllow Canyon High School but can be watched on the OUAZ Live Stream.
