Riverside, Calif. – After a four game series against the Golden Eagles of La Sierra, the Park Gilbert softball team returns home with four wins, two of which came from Sunday afternoon. The first game ended 3-2, with the second and final of the road trip ending 6-4.
Park led throughout the first game, with the first run coming in the top of the second. Natalie Castro, the outfielder from Gilbert, Ariz., was able to advance through to home after a handful of hits and walks led to loaded bases. Ledezma Romero's sacrifice fly allowed another Buccaneer run, this one coming from Alana Van Dorn.
Park was able to compile a string of hits in the fourth frame, with run success coming from Gabby Romero's single base hit. L. Romero scored the Buccaneers final run of the game.
Once again, Abril Nerey held her own in the circle, allowing two runs off of six hits, both of which came in the sixth inning. She is now the proud owner of a season low ERA of 1.51.
The Buccaneers were forced to tighten the leash on defense with the Golden Eagles putting up two runs in the sixth inning. Both the outfield and infield played a part in the two La Sierra outs with a line out to right field, and foul out to third base.
Game two was another story with Park trailing until the seventh inning. It was Mariah Martinez in the circle for the Buccaneers. She would go on to pitch a full seven frames, allowing four runs in 27 at bats.
G. Romero was first to cross the plate in the first following a Castro single RBI. Raylissa Garcia connected with Carolina Olivas to get Jillian Hernandez out at second to gain a second out in the bottom of the frame. Alexis Cook finalized the inning with a ground out ball to G. Romero.
As the day took the teams into the bottom of the fourth, Cook was able to get around the bases before scoring the Golden Eagles first run of the game. Martinez allowed one hit, a walk, and hit a batter in the fifth which led to two more LSU runs. At that point, the score stood at 3-1 in favor of the Golden Eagles.
It didn't last long however, as the Bucs took their turn at the plate in the sixth. Runs came from Garcia and Anissa Corales as the result of a wild pitch from Shelbie Debenedetti and an RBI contributed by Danielle Farinas. Farinas went on to finish the game 2-4. The Golden Eagles put up one more run in the bottom half of the frame which would prove to be their final against Park.
With LSU up by one, the Buccaneers dug deep and produced three, game winning runs at the top of the seventh. Garcia hit a two-run single that brought Van Dorn and Castro home.
The Buccaneers resume play on April 3 against Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif. at 12 and 2 p.m.
