The Park University Gilbert softball team hoped to carry momentum over from their sweep of Carroll College last week. But they were unable to overcome a no-hit performance and several fielding errors, as they fell to Arizona Christian, 14-0 and 5-2.
Game One
Game one of the doubleheader went from bad to worse quickly for the Buccaneers. The first batter that starting pitcher Gabby Vallee faced put the Firestorm on the board with an inside the park home run.
In the third inning, the Firestorm doubled-down with a three-run, no out homer to left field. Every Firestorm batter went to the plate before Vallee got out of the inning. She was pulled after that in favor of freshman Payton Priefer, who threw the final two innings of the game in her collegiate debut.
Priefer's first inning saw her face 14 batters before getting out; she seemingly got the nerves out after that and got out of the fifth inning having allowed just one hit and stranding runners on the corners.
The lone Buccaneer to reach base and keep them from being the victims of a perfect game was Amber Saiz, who drew a leadoff walk in the fourth inning.
Game Two
Abril Nerey got the start in game two and did her part to keep the Firestorm at bay for 5.2 innings. But errors were plentiful for the Buccaneers' defense; a whopping five of them accounted for four unearned runs.
Two of those runs came across in the third inning, which gave the Firestorm the lead while Nerey was in the circle. Thus, she took the loss despite allowing just one earned run. Jessica Mendoza threw the final 1.1 innings.
One bright spot for the Buccaneers on Friday afternoon came from a freshman making her collegiate debut. With head coach Karin Gadberry looking for some production in right field, she gave Tristin Jamar an opportunity and she took advantage of it.
The Corona del Sol High School graduate played a role in both runs scored by the Buccaneers today. She reached on a fielder's choice in the third and fifth innings; the first one resulted in a run thanks to a wild pitch and passed ball. Then in the seventh, she got her first hit with an RBI double that brought home Brianna Munger.
What's Next
The Buccaneers will see Arizona Christian again next Friday in a road contest. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. at ACU's softball fields in Glendale, Ariz.
