Irvine, Calif. — With a trip forward in the GSAC Tournament on the line, OUAZ came through in dramatic fashion, earning a 2-1 walk-off victory over Hope International. After dropping the opening game of the tournament to the Royals, the Spirit entered the semifinal focused on one thing—redemption—and delivered when it mattered most.
Hope International struck first in the opening inning, using a pair of hits and an RBI single up the middle to take an early 0-1 lead. From there, it became a pitcher's duel. OUAZ turned to Stephanie Cortazar in the second inning, and she was dominant the rest of the way. Cortazar shut down the Royals' offense, allowing just one hit over 5.1 innings while consistently working out of pressure situations and keeping the game within reach.
Despite putting runners on throughout the game, OUAZ struggled to break through early, leaving multiple scoring opportunities on the bases. That changed in the sixth inning. Ava Seguin and Savannah Sutton opened the frame with back-to-back singles, setting the tone. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Angelina Granado delivered in a big moment, driving in the tying run with a clutch RBI groundout to even the score at 1-1.
With momentum finally shifting, the Spirit kept the pressure on into the seventh. After two quick outs, Brianna Humphries worked a walk to extend the inning—setting the stage for Alexis Jimenez. After starting the game 0-for-3, Jimenez stepped in due for a moment, and she delivered. She drove a ball into right center for a walk-off triple, bringing Humphries all the way around to score and sealing the 2-1 victory.
Offensively, OUAZ tallied eight hits, with Seguin and Sutton each collecting multiple hits to spark the lineup. In the circle, Cortazar earned the win with her shutdown relief performance, while the defense played clean, error-free softball.
The win not only keeps OUAZ alive in the double-elimination tournament, but it also serves as a statement response after the earlier loss to Hope International. Fueled by resilience and timely execution, the Spirit continue their postseason run with momentum firmly on their side.
Up Next
The Spirit face another must-win matchup against Embry-Riddle (#4 seed) in the GSAC Championship tomorrow at NOON (MST). A win forces a second game at 3:00 PM (MST) with the title on the line.
