The Park University Gilbert baseball team split a Sunday double header with La Sierra University winning the final conference game of the series 7-3 before falling in the second non-conference game 18-13 at the Los Angeles Angels minor league complex at Tempe Diablo in Tempe, Ariz.
The Buccaneers are now 11-20 overall and 8-7 in conference play. The Eagles are 7-16, 2-7 in the Cal Pac.
Game 1 – Park Gilbert 7, La Sierra 3
The Buccaneers, who lost the first two games of the series on Friday, salvaged the third game of the three-game conference set behind the solid pitching from Matthew Armendariz, Connor Barton and Diego Jordan.
Armendariz got a no-decision, but provided the Bucs with five solid innings, allowing only three hits and three runs (two earned) and he struck out eight.
In the first, LSU got on the board with an unearned run when an errant Logan Livingston throw allowed the first run of the game to score.
Park Gilbert answered with three in the bottom half of the third. Going through its lineup for the second time, Park adjusted to LSU starter Eric Celis as three straight singles got the first run of the game capped by an Austin Chouinard RBI knock. Then after loading the bases Dawson Wedeking laced an opposite field single to drive home two runs.
After the Eagles plated in two in the top of the fifth to tie the game. Connor Barton came on in the sixth and gave the Bucs two solid innings of scoreless relief as he picked up his first win of the season.
The Bucs retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth with five hits, including three RBI singles from Diego Bejarano, Connor Hommes and Wedeking.
Those three runs would be all the Bucs would need as Diego Jordan closed out the final two innings, showcasing his mid-90's fastball which touched a season high 97 MPH. Jordan picked up his first career save.
Four Bucs had multiple hits including Chris Amador, Chouinard, Hommes and Wedeking. Wedeking had three RBI on the day.
Game 2 – La Sierra 18, Park Gilbert 13
This was a last minute scheduled game as the Buccaneers had its series with Hope International slated for next weekend cancelled due to Hope having to make up one of its conference series.
This game was just the opposite of game one as this was a high octane offensive show. This game saw a combined 31 runs, 25 hits and 10 extra base hits as this game went back and forth.
After La Sierra scored a run in the top of the second off starter Reagan Reynolds, the Bucs exploded for six runs in the bottom half of the inning capped by a two-run home run missile off the bat of right fielder Kevin Whalen.
The lead was short-lived as LSU responded against reliever Kyle Poapst who struggled for the second consecutive outing allowing seven of the eight runs scored in the top half of the third to retake the lead 9-6.
The Eagles would maintain the lead until the bottom of the sixth when the Buccaneers would add five more runs to take a 12-10 lead as Whalen, Wedeking and Trent Williams all drove in runs with hits and Bradley Goodwin brought home another with a sacrifice fly.
The Bucs would only score one more time as the Eagles would score eight of the final nine runs in the game posting a single run in the seventh, four in the eight and three more in the ninth.
The Buccaneers would use eight pitchers in the game, while the Eagles would use five. Matthew Martinez (1-3) takes the loss in relief.
Five players had two hits each for the Bucs, Whalen would have four RBI, while Williams would have three. Williams also had a solo home run in the game.
The Bucs now have an extended period of time off before they play again since their series with Hope International was cancelled. The Bucs will travel to Prescott, Ariz., to face Embry Riddle on April 14-15. The Bucs were swept by the Eagles last season when the Bucs only needed to win one game to make the conference tournament. This series will also have major post season implications as the Bucs are in fourth place and Embry Riddle sits in fifth currently in the conference standings. This will be an important one for the Bucs as they look to make the postseason for the first time in their history.
