REDDING, Calif. --- The Park University Gilbert softball team (4-7) lost to the Oregon Institute of Technology Owls (8-2) by a score of 5-3, Thursday afternoon at the Simpson Round Robin in Redding, Calif.

The Buccaneers fell to an Oregon Tech team that ranked No. 10 in the NAIA Top 25 preseason poll. This was the first ever meeting between these two schools in softball.

Park-Gilbert was initially scheduled to play two games Thursday afternoon, one against OIT and a 2 p.m. MST game with Corban University which got postponed due to inclement weather. That game has now been rescheduled for Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. MST.

The Bucs put a pair of runs on the board in the top of the first inning, courtesy of a wild pitch and a stolen base. Park-Gilbert then took a 3-0 lead when the bases were loaded, and designated player Bri Titus was hit by a pitch. OIT then scored five unanswered runs and took a 5-3 win. The Owls scored one run in the bottom of the third, two runs in the bottom of the fifth, and another two in the bottom of the sixth.

Grace Jump (1-3) started in the circle for this contest. Jump pitched all six innings, striking out five batters and allowing nine hits.

Park-Gilbert totaled four hits, all of which came from center fielder Diona Leannio, who went a perfect 4-4 at the plate with a run scored. The Bucs logged two errors to OIT's one.

The Buccaneers return to the field tomorrow for Day 2 of round robin action in Redding, Calif. Park-Gilbert will play three games, one against Simpson University at 11 a.m. MST and two against Corban at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. MST.