Riverside, Calif.- OUAZ Softball started the season strong by sweeping the doubleheader against La Sierra (0-2), with a game one victory of 5-4 and a game two victory of 9-0. The victories give the Spirit a 2-0 record to start the year.
In game one, the Spirt lead for the entire game in their 5-4 victory. Freshman Stephanie Cortazar pitched 6 2/3 innings, while allowing four runs on six hits, resulting in the first win of her college career. Nayeli Inzunza scored the Spirit's first run of the season with a sacrifice bunt in the second inning. The OUAZ's scoring continued in the second with an RBI single by Serena Shine. Mia Casadei added an RBI Double in the third to give the Spirit a 3-0 lead. La Sierra would score the next four runs with one in the bottom of the fourth, and three in the bottom of the sixth, giving them a 4-3 going into the seventh. OUAZ would rally with an RBI single by Isabella Rodriguez and an RBI sacrifice fly by Casadei to give the Spirit a 5-4 that they would hold onto for the victory.
Game two was much less stressful for the Spirit as they scored nine runs in the top of the first. OUAZ had seven players record RBIs in the inning with Rodriguez, Shine, Karlene Chavarria (2), Alexis Jimenez, Sophie Jackson, Alyssa Ramsey, and Elysa Moreno all knocking in runs for the Spirit. The Spirit cruised behind five shutout innings from Junior transfer Alexis Ayersman, before the game was called on a mercy rule for a 9-0 victory.
The Spirit will finish the series tomorrow, January 31st with another doubleheader, as game one will start at Noon (MST).
