The Park University Gilbert baseball team overcame a shaky start to defeat the Nelson University Warriors 7-5 at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Ariz., this afternoon.

The Buccaneers even their record on the season at 8-8.

The game got off to a slow start as Nelson put four runs on the board off of Bucs starter Ben Staiger. But Staiger settled down and kept the Warriors on the number over the next three innings. In the first Staiger gave up two hits, two walks and was hurt by an error. Staiger would only allow two more hits and did not walk a batter over the next three innings as he finished throwing 4.0 innings allowing four runs (one earned) and struck out six.

The Bucs inched closer with two runs in the bottom of the second inning as back-to-back doubles by Eric Baratta and Enrique Figueroa scored the first run and Nick Miller followed with an RBI single.

The score remained at 4-2 until the bottom of the fifth when the Bucs would get an unearned run across. Miller reached on an error and then after a Rees Hall single advanced to third on a fly out and scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Bucs then took the lead for good in the sixth with a three-run inning off of Warriors reliever Jordan King (0-1). Joel Holguin got things started with a triple to right center, followed by an Eric Baratta walk. Then with two outs Miler walked to load the bases. The tying run came home on a passed ball followed by a two-run single by Hall to give the Bucs the lead 6-4.

Park Gilbert reliver Caden Griffen (1-0) threw two scoreless innings without allowing a hit in the fifth and sixth to record his first win as a Buccaneer. He struck out three.

Sunny Patel threw the last three innings to record his first career save. He gave up one run while scattering five hits.

At the plate, Holguin and Rees both had two knocks, and Hall had two RBI. Diego Bejarano who came into the game with a .480 batting average, got plenty of respect from the Nelson pitching staff, walking three times. Baratta led the team scoring twice.

This game just started a busy week for the Bucs as they will play seven games in five days. It continues tomorrow in the Tucson Invitational Games as the Bucs face off against NCAA Division II Concordia St.-Paul at 11 a.m. before playing the University of Jamestown at 2:30 p.m.