Box Score The Park University Gilbert baseball team swept a double header from Benedictine Mesa at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, winning game two 15-5 by run rule after taking the first game in spectacular fashion 13-12. The Bucs move to 2-0 in the Cal Pac and 3-7 overall. Benedictine drops to 11-11 overall, 0-2 in the Cal Pac.
"It's how we train, we never give up," says Buccaneer heac coach Kelly Stinnett. "We had four bad innings to start today but we tried to win every inning after that and finished with 12 really good innings the rest of the day."
The Buc bats found their way in game one scoring eight runs in the fifth inning en route to their 10-run comeback. Those bats stayed hot in game two as they scored runs in six of the seven innings played, including five in the second and four in the fourth.
Four consecutive hits started the second for the Buccaneers which plated two runs, then a walk loaded the bases for a Chris Amador sacrifice fly to plate the third run. Alex Stinnett followed with a two-RBI single to center to score Joel Adamson and Cade Maestas.
After DJ Downen hit his second home run in as many games in the third, Maestas hit his first home run since 2020 with line drive that hit off the scoreboard in left center. This was Maestas' first home run over the fence as his other home run was an inside the park grand slam against Ottawa (Ariz.). After Amador was hit by a pitch, Alex Stinnett singled to center, and Austin Chouinard singled to left to drive in Amador. Julian Garcia- Schoreder then drove in two more with a single to right and the Bucs led 10-0.
Park Gilbert tacked on two more in the fifth with a bases loaded walk that was followed by a hit by pitch to make it 12-0. They then added what seemed to be an insurance run in the sixth to make it 13-0.
Buccaneers starting pitcher Joseph Chavira was lights out through the first five innings, holding the Redhawks scoreless, allowing only one hit and striking out three. Chavira has never gone more than five innings in his collegiate career and in the sixth, the Redhawks started to catch up with him, scoring four runs on five hits. This took the lead to nine and the Bucs would need to score more if they wanted to finish the game in seven.
The Bucs tacked on two runs in the seventh to put Park Gilbert back in a position to win the game by run rule (up 10 or more after 7 innings). Chouinard, Downen and Garcia Schroeder led off the seventh with consecutive singles to score a run. Then, after a Logan White fly ball advanced Downen to third. Aaron Stinnett drove home the Bucs 15th run with a ground out to second.
Chase Provencio was called on to close out the game in the seventh and struggled giving up a couple of doubles and allowing a fifth run to score. With one out and BENU runner Erick Bahn at third who could extend the game if he scored, the game ended in controversy. Mason Velasquez hit a fly ball to center field that was caught by Amador. Bahn tagged up from third and tried to score. Amador's throw was off line but Chouinard caught the throw and dove for Bahn sliding into home. It was a bang-bang play at the plate and the home plate umpire called Bahn out which brought the Buccaneer dugout running onto the field to celebrate and Redhawk head coach Brian McCabe in to argue the call.
Six Bucs had multi-hit games, with Garcia-Schroeder leading the way with three on a 3-5 afternoon. Alex Stinnett drove in three runs to lead the team and Aaron Stinnett extended his tinning streak to nine games, breaking a tie he held with Maestas for the third longest streak in Bucs history.
Chavira (1-0) who has been impressive in his last two starts, picks up his first win on the season, going six innings, allowing six hits and four runs (all earned) he walked one and struck out five.
With the win, the Bucs take the first two games in the series and will go for the sweep tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. at Tempe Diablo. This is a makeup of Friday night's game postponed due to rain. The Redhawks will still be the home team even though it is being played on the Bucs home field. After the finale of the series with Benedictine, the Bucs will host Clarke University in an already scheduled non-conference game at 6 p.m.
