BUCKEYE, ARIZ. – A month after playing an inning-and-a-half, OUAZ and No. 8 Jessup finally matched up to finish its first softball doubleheader of the season. The Spirit nearly came all the way back in the seventh inning in game one, then blasted its way to a run-rule victory on Thursday night.
#8 Jessup 5, OUAZ 4
The contest started where it left off in Northern California, with two runners on and one out for Jessup. Olivia Dominguez was the first batter of the restart, and got on via a hit by pitch to load the bases, putting even more pressure on the Spirit early in the restart.
Riley Shopp stayed cool, getting a groundout at home plate to cut down what would have been the first run of the game. Shopp would then get a strikeout to keep the game scoreless through two frames.
OUAZ would finally break the 0-0 tie in the fourth inning, when two of the first three runners would get into scoring position. Lauren Russell would beat out an infield single to the shortstop, scoring Brooklynne Esquibel to give the Spirit the lead.
Another run would be added to the OUAZ lead in the fifth, as an error would allow Elysa Moreno to score. Jessup would then respond with five runs in the bottom half of the frame, with the big hit coming via Sara Giles's three-run home run.
The Spirit would come close to tying it in the seventh, bringing in two runs on another error and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Kelli Samorano. Trailing by two with one out, OUAZ would leave the bases loaded to end the game.
The Spirit did have ten hits, with Brianna Humphries leading the way with two. Humphries also had the lone extra-base hit of the game for OUAZ – a double to lead off the intense seventh inning.
OUAZ 11, #8 Jessup 2 (5 Innings)
The Spirit took its bats from the top of the seventh inning in the previous contest right into the first inning of the nightcap. OUAZ would score four runs in the first frame, then add three more in the second.
Five of the Spirit's 11 hits came in the first inning, with three of those driving in runs. Russell continued her power surge across the last couple of weeks doubling home Esquibel and Humphries to give OUAZ a 3-0 lead. Russell would then score herself on a Mia Casadei single.
Three more runs would come across in the second, as the Spirit took advantage of another error to start the inning. Humphries would have the two-run double this frame, dribing in Moreno and Emily Henard for the 7-0 advantage.
OUAZ would give itself the runs to earn a run-rule victory in the fourth inning, scoring four more times. Esquibel would take her turn to smack a two-RBI double, then Russell slammed a home run to right field in the next at-bat.
Four different Spirit batters had two-hit performances, including leadoff Serena Shine. Russell finished with four RBI, while Esquibel and Humphries each drove in three.
Alyvia Hernandez was excellent in the circle, allowing just three hits in the five innings. She did not walk a batter, and posted eight strikeouts for her 10th victory of the season.
OUAZ will continue its busy weekend against #8 Jessup on Friday, this time at Willow Canyon High School. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.
