The Park University Gilbert baseball team dropped its eighth game in a row, losing a 10-7 contest to Ottawa University Arizona this evening at the Kansas City Royals minor league complex in Surprise, Ariz.
The Bucs fell behind 3-0 in the first as a solo home run and a two-run triple got the Spirit off to a strong start against Park Gilbert started Luke Turner. The Buccaneers answered right back in the top of the second as a Kevin Whalen RBI single and back-to-back bases loaded walks to Aaron and Alex Stinnett brought home the tying runs.
Park Gilbert briefly took the lead in the third as Aaron Lizarraga led off with a single and then Bradley Jolly doubled down the right field line to bring him home and give the Bucs a one-run advantage.
The Spirit greeted Buccaneers reliver Paxton Prentice in the bottom of the third with three more runs as an RBI single, followed by a two-run homer put OUAZ back up by two.
The Buccaneers were able to cut into that advantage in the top half of the fourth as Alex Stinnett brought home his brother Aaron with a sacrifice fly after Aaron had reached after being hit by a pitch and advancing to third on an errant pickoff attempt.
In the sixth, the Bucs knotted the contest at 6-all as Aaron Stinnett scored his second run of the game after Austin Chouinard drove a double into the right center gap. But it was short-lived as the Spirit retook the lead 7-6 on a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning.
The Spirit added another run in the seventh scoring on a wild pitch from Bucs reliever Chase Provencio. Then tacked on two more in the eighth against Frank Racioppo.
In the ninth the Buccaneers took advantage of a couple of errors by the Spirit to scratch across an unearned run but were not able to capitalize for any more runs after JJ Martinez grounded into a double play to end the game.0
Aaron Stinnett scored two runs, Chouinard had two RBI and Lizarraga had two hits as he posts his second straight multi-hit game. Logan White (0-1) took the loss in relief.
The Bucs now make their first road trip out of state as they go to Pasadena, Calif., to take on Providence Christian College in a three-game set on Friday and Saturday, March 18-19. Friday's lone game starts at 2 p.m., with the Saturday double-dip commencing at 11 a.m.
