SURPRISE, ARIZ. – The OUAZ baseball team started its final three-game series of the regular season on Thursday, hosting Park-Gilbert at Surprise Stadium. In a contest that looked like it would be dominated by the Spirit early turned into a close game late, but OUAZ pulled away for a 17-11 victory.

The Spirit scored in nearly every inning, plating at least one run in all but the first and seventh innings. OUAZ had scored in five consecutive frames from the second through the sixth, and scored more than once in each inning between the third and the sixth.

OUAZ had five extra-base hits, and Joey Winters fell a home run short of the cycle as he drove in five runs. His RBI double in the third inning nearly left the yard in right field, and he would double again in the sixth inning to drive in two. The first baseman drove in runs with all four of his hits on Thursday evening.

Nicholas Lustig, Daniel Durazo, and Joel Esparza all turned in two-hit performances, and those three batters combined for five RBI. The Spirit as a team also drew nine walks, and five batters reached via hit-by-pitch.

Tarver would be the other player Spirit player with a triple, as he scored Lustig in the fifth. Esparza was the other player to double along with Winters, as he tied the game at one in the second inning with a two-bagger to right.

Connor Wilson had a solid start, going 5.1 innings to keep the Buccaneers at bay during the Spirit's offensive explosion through the middle frames. Wilson also struck out eight batters, and in total, the OUAZ pitching staff had 12 punchouts on the night.

The Spirit will continue the series tomorrow night, and wrap up the home portion of the weekend stretch. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is set for 6 p.m.