This is a big weekend for the Park University Gilbert baseball team. The Buccaneers need to win to keep pace with the rest of the Cal Pac in the race for the Cal Pac Tournament. They are taking on the team currently in first place in the conference, Saint Katherine and this is also the last homestand for the Buccaneer senior. With all of the pressure, the seniors showed their mettle as the Bucs split the double header with the Firebirds, dropping the first game 13-2 in eight innings, before winning a tight 2-1 contest in the nightcap.
Game 1 – Saint Katherine 13, Park Gilbert 2 – 8 Innings
The final score is not indicative of how close this game was for six innings. The Buccaneers bullpen had a as of late rare poor performance in the seventh and eighth innings as the Firebirds posted 11 runs over those last two innings to win an eight-inning run rule game.
The Buccaneers jumped out to a 1-0 lead behind a solo home run from Alex Stinnett, his third home run in as many games. Then in the fourth, Joey Martinez launched his second home run of the season over the fence in left center field to give the Bucs a 2-0 advantage.
Meanwhile, Bucs starting hurler Nick Marcon was throwing a great game, holding the powerful Firebird lineup scoreless through the first five innings. In the sixth, USK was able to get two runs across against Marcon, but he still provided the Bucs with a quality start and turned it over to the Bucs bullpen which has been a strong point of late.
Unfortunately, in this first game, the bullpen faltered, Connor Barton who ended up taking the loss in the game, gave up two singles, a walk a sacrifice fly and a double before being lifted in favor of Logan White. White proceeded to stem the tide, but four runs crossed in the inning and Park Gilbert now trailed by four.
USK broke the game wide open in the eighth as White hit two batters, walked two batters and made an error to go along with another error from shortstop Julian Garcia-Schroeder to open the floodgates. A pitching change did not find the code to close the gates as Matthew Medina walked the next two batters on nine pitches. Francisco Mata was brought on and he did not fare any better as he walked his first two batters as well. Once it was all said and done, seven runs allowed, without allowing a hit. The Bucs surrendered eight free bases (six walks, two hit by pitch) in the inning.
This gave USK an 11-run lead and they were able to hold the Bucs scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to secure the run rule victory.
Stinnett went 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Martinez was 2-4 with a run scored and the other RBI. Marcon only allowed five hits and one earned run in his six innings of work.
Game 2 – Park Gilbert 2, Saint Katherine 1
Game one was a pitcher's duel for six innings. Game two was a pitcher's duel from start to finish. Ironically, both starters gave up a run in the first inning and then there was only one run scored over the last eight.
In the top of the first back-to-back walks and an error for Garcia-Schroeder led to the only USK run. The run was unearned and would be the last time the Firebirds would get on the board for the day. Although they did put a scare into the Buccaneer faithful later in the contest.
Park Gilbert answered right back in the bottom half of the frame, Aaron Stinnett got things started with a single. Then advanced on a wild pitch and moved to third when the USK catcher threw the ball into center field. He then scored on an Austin Chouinard ground out.
Saint Katherine would not get another hit until the sixth, a leadoff single, but Richards retired the next three hitters in order before bowing out of the game after 93 pitches. Richards left with the lead, because of the run the Bucs scratched across in the fifth. Travis Moore walked to lead off the inning. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, then proceeded to steal third base. Aaron Stinnett then got his second hit of the game, a single to left to score more and give the Bucs a lead they would not relinquish.
Frank Racioppo came on in the seventh and worked around a two out walk but got into some trouble in the eighth. It started when he gave up a lead-off single. After getting a force out, Racioppo proceeded to walk the next two batters, although Racioppo and the Bucs fan base were not happy with the strike zone of the home plate umpire. Racioppo's body language said he thought he was getting squeezed.
Head Coach Kelly Stinnett then went to the Bucs all-time saves leader Diego Bustillos. Bustillos was only making his second appearance after dealing with an arm injury all season. Bustillos has been nicknamed "Pandemic" by his teammates because when he enters the game "everything gets shut down." This was the case again today. On his very first pitch, Bustillos induced a 4-6-3 double play to get the Bucs out of danger.
Bustillos went on to set the Firebirds down 1-2-3 in the ninth to give Bustillos his second save in as many chances and the 12th save for his career.
The Stinnett brothers did most of the damage with four of the Bucs five hits (two hits apiece). The Bucs pitching staff only allowed three hits but walked seven in the contest to put themselves in more trouble than they needed to be. They managed to strand eight Firebird runners for the game.
These same two teams meet again tomorrow in another double header. The first game will count towards conference standings. The last is a seven-inning non-conference contest. In between the two games, the Buccaneers will honor their seniors. The Buccaneers have 20 players who will be saying their goodbyes to Park Gilbert in their final home game.
