The Park University Gilbert baseball team struggled to find offense in the later innings for the third game in a row as it fell to the University of British Columbia 5-4 at Tempe Diablo Field No. 2 in Tempe, Ariz.
The Buccaneers (0-3) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first after a lead-off single by Julian Garcia Schroeder, followed by an error on a dropped fly ball off of the bat of catcher Alex Stinnett which got a rally going. Austin Chouinard singled up the middle which was misplayed by the UBC centerfielder Brett Corbeth. Garcia-Schroeder scored easily, and with the error, Chris Amador who was running for Stinnett came around to score. After strikeouts by Joaquin Martinez and Travis Moore, leftfielder Joey Martinez launched a triple into the left center gap which brought home Chouinard and the Bucs ended the first with a 3-0 lead. All three runs in the inning were unearned due to the two errors committed by the Thunderbirds.
After UBC (2-2) tacked on a run in the second off of Bucs starter Frank Racioppo, Park Gilbert took a 4-1 advantage in the third inning behind a Chouinard double, a passed ball which moved him to third and a sacrifice fly by Joaquin Martinez.
That would be the last time the Buccaneers would score in the game. In the first three innings, the Bucs had six base hits. Over the last six innings, they only managed five more hits.
Racioppo put together a quality start, going six innings, scattering nine hits and allowing three runs with no walks and one strikeout. He left the game with a chance to earn the win, but the Bucs bullpen could not hold on to the lead.
In the seventh, Chase Provencio gave up the tying run after walking nine-hole hitter Aiden Rose, who advanced to second on a curve ball in the dirt, then moved to third after leadoff hitter Mike Fitzsimmons struck out on a curve ball in the dirt. When Stinnett threw to first to complete the out, Rose advanced to third. That last bit of heads up base running put him in position to score easily on a sacrifice fly from Ty Penner to tie the game.
Southpaw Luke Richards came on in the eighth and after striking out the first batter he faced, gave up a single in first baseman Trent Lenihan, who was run for. Richards then threw a wild pitch and pitch runner Jonny McGill then stole third. Another sacrifice fly later, the Thunderbirds had the lead and would not relinquish it.
The Thunderbirds demonstrated how situational hitting can help you win a game. All five of their runs were scored without the benefit of a hit. Four sacrifice flies and a ground out with the defense back when they had a runner at third with less than two outs.
Richards took the loss in relief for the Bucs, Brandon Woods earned the win with four innings of scoreless relief for Thunderbirds. Vicente Rodrigo earned his first save of the season.
The Buccaneers get right back after it tomorrow afternoon as they travel back up to Surprise, Ariz., to take on Ottawa (Ariz,) at 5 p.m. at the Surprise Recreation Complex Royals Field No. 6.
