For Park University Gilbert head coach Kelly Stinnett, the day did not start out on the right foot.  His team who had lost a ninth inning heartbreaker just a little over 12 hours earlier, did not show up on time for morning pregame.  After some strong calisthenic motivation to redirect his teams focus, those same players ended his day on a high note with a four-run eighth inning comeback victory over Ottawa University (Ariz.) 9-8.

I wasn't happy with the boys coming to the ballpark today, "said Stinnett. "We had a little conditioning beforehand because half the team was late.  Hopefully its sends a message."

Message received. The Buccaneers (3-3) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first.  Cade Maestas, Hugo Acosta, Alex Moreno and Connor Williams rapped four straight hits off Spirit starter Taylor Campos.  Three straight singles and a double to center for Williams got things started.

"We came out strong," said Stinnett "I liked our energy."

But the bats fell silent for the next five innings while the Spirit (0-3) took the lead with three runs in the third off of the Bucs staff, four in the fifth inning and one in the seventh off of reliever Brandon Silva. Down 8-3, the Park Gilbert bats woke up and decided it was time to play.

In the bottom half of the seventh, the inning started innocuously with a strikeout and a fly out.  Then Maestas walked and stole second.  Acosta was hit by a pitch before Moreno doubled to deep center knocking in two runs and cutting the deficit to three which would be important in this comeback story.

In the eight with one out, Nathan Loranger reached first due to fielder obstruction.  Khalil Harris was hit by a pitch and after a pitching change, Julian Garcia-Schroeder reached on a swinging bunt in front of the pitcher's mound to load the bases. This is where history was made.  Maestas came to the plate, worked the count to 3-2, then unloaded on fastball to center which rattled around the outfield fence long enough to not only score all three runners, but Maestas as well.  The first home run in Park University Gilbert Buccaneers history was an inside the park Grand Slam. With it, the Buccaneers took a one run lead into the top of the ninth.

As yesterday proved, you can't sit on you laurels in the ninth inning, you must go out and earn the victory.  Freshman Diego Bustillos came in a closed the door on the Spirit with a 1-2-3 inning to secure the victory. 

"They did some great things there at the end to win it," said Stinnett.  "Maestas and Moreno swung it really well today, but that is not unexpected from those two.  Really proud of Diego and how he came in and closed it out."

Carlos Lopez (1-0) gets the win in relief and Bustillos earns his first collegiate save.

Up next, Park Gilbert welcomes La Sierra University to the Valley of the Sun for a three-game set next Friday and Saturday.   Time and location are still TBA as of press time.