Irvine, Calif. — In a double-elimination setting at the GSAC Tournament, OUAZ battled through a challenging day, dropping the opener to No. 3 seed Hope International before responding with a dominant win over No. 1 seed Arizona Christian to stay alive.
Game 1 — OUAZ 3, Hope International 6
The Spirit fell behind early and couldn't fully recover in a 3-6 loss to Hope International. The Royals struck first in the second inning, stringing together multiple hits to take a 0-1 lead. After a quiet few innings offensively, OUAZ answered in the fourth when Brianna Humphries launched a solo home run to left field, tying the game at 1-1.
Hope International regained control in the fifth. With two outs and runners on, a clutch single up the middle plated two runs, putting OUAZ behind 1-3. The Spirit responded immediately in the bottom half with disciplined at-bats. Walks by Savannah Sutton and Nayeli Inzunza, followed by a single from Elysa Moreno, loaded the bases. Humphries then drew an RBI walk, and Ava Seguin followed with another bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 3-3.
The game shifted in the sixth inning. Hope International capitalized on timely hitting and a defensive miscue, beginning with an RBI double and followed by a sequence of a fielder's choice and a run-scoring single that extended the lead to 3-6. OUAZ threatened late, putting runners on in both the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't push any additional runs across.
Elysa Moreno led the offense, going 3-for-4, while Humphries contributed a home run and two RBIs. Despite outhitting mistakes and creating opportunities, OUAZ left nine runners on base in the loss.
Game 2 — OUAZ 8, Arizona Christian 1
Facing elimination and a familiar opponent in No. 1 seed Arizona Christian (a team that had taken the series 1-3 just over a week prior), OUAZ responded with one of its most complete performances of the season, winning 8-1.
Arizona Christian struck first in the opening inning with an RBI double, but OUAZ quickly answered in the second. Ava Seguin led off with a single and came around to score on a wild pitch, while aggressive baserunning and a defensive error allowed Savannah Sutton to cross the plate, giving OUAZ a 2-1 lead.
The offense kept building in the third. Seguin singled again to spark the rally, and Sutton followed with an RBI single to extend the lead. Later in the inning, Angelina Granado delivered an RBI single to make it 4-1, showcasing OUAZ's ability to string together quality at-bats.
The game broke open in the fourth inning with a four-run explosion. After putting runners on, Brianna Humphries drove in a run with a single. Moments later, Ava Seguin delivered the biggest swing of the game—a bases-clearing double to left center that plated three runs and pushed the lead to 8-1. The inning highlighted OUAZ's aggressive approach, clutch hitting, and ability to capitalize with runners in scoring position.
From there, it was all about pitching and defense. Stephanie Cortazar was outstanding in the circle, throwing a complete game while working through traffic all day. Despite Arizona Christian tallying 12 hits, Cortazar limited the Firestorm to just one run, consistently stranding runners and inducing key outs when needed.
Offensively, Seguin led the way with three hits and three RBIs, while Sutton added two hits and an RBI. Granado also contributed with two hits and an RBI, helping power a balanced attack. The dugout energy was noticeable from start to finish, fueling momentum and keeping intensity high throughout the game.
Up Next
The Spirit will face the loser of #3 seed Hope International and #4 Embry-Riddle.
