GILBERT, Ariz.  – The Park University Gilbert softball team dropped two games to Arizona Christian University this afternoon at Cactus Yards 8-0 and 13-4. The Buccaneers have now dropped four games in a row to fall to 3-9 on the season. 

In game one, Park Gilbert was no-hit by Firestorm Emerald Grijalva.  She threw six innings as the game was halted due to the eight-run mercy rule.  She walked one and struck out seven. The only Buccaneers base runners were Jazmine Nuanez who walked and Meli Villareal who was hit by a pitch in back to back plate appearance in the third. 

Park Gilbert starter Elizabeth Lyon (0-4) went 3 1/3 innings allowing six hits and five runs (four earned).  Kylee Saunders gave up the other three runs in 2 2/3 relief innings.

Game two saw a much more competitive contest in the early innings. After the Firestorm notch a run in the top of the first, the Bucs answered in the bottom half with two of their own on Michele Dinicola two-run single.  

But the Buccaneers fell behind again in the second as ACU responded with four runs.  Park Gilbert clawed their way back with solo runs in the second and third as Makenzie Celeya (single) and Claudia Telles (double) gathered RBI's in those innings.

With the score now 5-4, the Bucs looked as thought they were ready to pull off the upset of the highly regarded Firestorm who was receiving votes in the last ranking. Unfortunately, the Firestorm bats could not be silenced on this afternoon as ACU tacked on eight runs over the last four innings and the Park Gilbert bats did fall silent only managing three hits over the last four innings.

After not getting a hit in game one, the Bucs managed 13 of them in game two. Regrettably, they could not come up with enough key hits with runners in scoring position stranding 12 base runners for the game.

Celeya and Telles each had three hits, Tayler Gallegos added a two-hit game for the Bucs. 

Starting pitcher Gabby Vallee (2-4) took the loss, allowing nine runs in four-plus innings of work.

Up next, the Buccaneers have four games this weekend.  On Saturday, they take on Benedictine Mesa in a double header at Seton Catholic High School at noon.  On Sunday, the Bucs take on Menlo College at 9 a.m. at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Park Gilbert split their home double header with Benedictine Mesa earlier this year.   This will be the Bucs first meeting with Menlo College.