The Park University Gilbert baseball team dropped its fourth game in a row with a 9-2 loss against Arizona Christian in a rainy non-conference game Tuesday night. The Buccaneers drop to 1-7 on the season. A disappointing start to a season with postseason aspirations in the preseason.
The Buccaneers got a strong start from Joseph Chavira who threw five strong innings, scattering three hits and allowing one run. When he left the game, the Bucs had a 2-1 lead and he was in line for his first win. But the Buccaneers bullpen could not hold on to the lead and the Buc bats went cold with only one hit over the last five innings of play.
Park Gilbert got its two runs with two outs in bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back singles from Travis Moore and Logan White got the inning started, then a double to left center by Matthew Armendariz scored both Moore and White to give the Bucs a 2-1 lead at the time.
The Firestorm broke the game open in the six with six runs. Matthew Media who came on in relief of Chavira walked the first two hitters before a single brought home the tying run. After catcher Alex Stinnett back picked a runner at second to get the first out, Medina got the second out on a fly out to right. Then on a tapper in front of the plate, Stinnett overshot first baseman Austin Chouinard which allowed the go ahead run to score and the flood gates opened. Five more runs would cross. Three of the four were unearned for Medina. Two more would cross against reliever Connor Barton before Alex Stinnett would throw out a runner stealing to end the inning. But the damage had been done and the Bucs found themselves trailing by five.
The Firestorm would tack on two more in the seventh to bring the score to 9-2 before Aaron Lizarraga would come in and silence the ACU bats over the last two innings.
The Buccaneers were supposed to be headed to Oklahoma for a four-game series against No. 20 Oklahoma City. But due to the inclement weather hitting the Midwest right now, the series was cancelled. The Buccaneers will not play again until they open Cal Pac Conference play at Benedictine Mesa for a three-game series March, 4-5. Game one will be Gene Autry Park at 6 p.m. The double header on March 5 will be played at Chandler-Gilbert Community College with a start time of 12 p.m.
