Tempe, Ariz.-- The OUAZ Spirit opened GSAC play in emphatic fashion Friday afternoon, sweeping Park-Gilbert in a road doubleheader at the Tempe Diablo Baseball Complex. OUAZ powered its way to an 18-7 win in game one before rolling to a 17-1 run-rule victory in game two.
With the sweep, the Spirit improve to 16-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Game 1: OUAZ 18, Park-Gilbert 7
The Spirit wasted no time setting the tone in the opener, erupting for seven runs in the top of the first inning. Camden Knutson got the scoring started with an RBI walk before Trevor Lesperance delivered a two-run single. Isaiah Nava later capped the inning with a two-RBI base hit as OUAZ capitalized on Buccaneer miscues to seize early control.
OUAZ followed with five more runs in the second. Lesperance added an RBI bunt single and Evan Mendoza crushed a three-run homer to left, pushing the lead to 11-0. The Spirit tacked on another in the fourth before Park-Gilbert began to chip away late.
After the Buccaneers scored twice in the seventh and twice more in the eighth, OUAZ responded with a five-run ninth inning to put the game out of reach. The Spirit drew multiple hit-by-pitches in the frame and continued to apply pressure, finishing with 18 runs on 11 hits.
Lesperance paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Mendoza added a home run and three RBIs, while Nava drove in three. Matthew Carter scored three times and collected two hits.
On the mound, Winston Roberts (2-1) earned the win, striking out eight over five innings while allowing just one hit and two runs. The Spirit bullpen combined to finish the game as OUAZ pitchers totaled 10 strikeouts in the victory.
Game 2: OUAZ 17, Park-Gilbert 1 (7 Innings)
The bats stayed hot in game two as OUAZ pounded out 19 hits in a 17-1 run-rule win.
Knutson opened the scoring in the first with an RBI single, and the Spirit broke things open in the third. Rolen Driscoll highlighted the inning with a two-run double before Mendoza followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0.
OUAZ put the game away with a four-run fourth and a five-run fifth. Driscoll continued his big afternoon with a two-run single, Mendoza added another RBI knock, and Manny Morales ripped a two-run double to extend the advantage to 13-0.
Michael Rodriguez punctuated the offensive outburst with a two-run homer in the seventh, and Lesperance added an RBI single later in the inning to cap the scoring.
Driscoll led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two doubles. Knutson collected three hits and drove in two, while Mendoza finished with two hits and three RBIs. Nava scored three runs as part of the 19-hit attack.
Austin Humphres (2-0) was dominant on the mound, striking out 10 over five innings while allowing just one run on three hits. William Fife closed out the final two innings to secure the run-rule victory.
In total, OUAZ scored 35 runs on 30 hits across the two games, launching its conference schedule with authority.
The Spirit will finish the series against the Buccaneers tomorrow at Desert Edge High School with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. (MST).
