The Park University Gilbert baseball team lost two close games with OUAZ to close out the series this afternoon at Desert Ridge High School in Mesa, Ariz. The Bucs dropped the first game 10-6 and then lost a tough contest in game two 3-1.

Team Records

OUAZ – 18-5, 4-0

PARK – 2-14, 0-4

Game 1 Line Score                                     Game 2 Line Score

R             H            E                                             R             H            E

OUAZ  10          12          4                             OUAZ  3             6             1

PARK    6             9             4                             PARK    1             2             2

Game 1 Highlights

Trey Markham – 3-5 2HR, 2R, 2RBI

Eric Baratta – 2-4, 2R

Jimmy Wood (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3R, 3K's

Zach Garrard – 2.2 IP, 1H, 0R, 3K's

Game 2 Highlights

KJ Ward – 6.0 IP, 2R, 1ER, 0BB. 4K's

Evan Vander Valk – 1-3, 1R

Recap

In game one. One bad inning can doom a game and the Bucs had two bad innings back-to-back which led to a 10-6 loss. Starter Jimmy wood threw five strong innings not allowing a run before running into trouble in the sixth. OUAZ was able to score three runs on only one hit in the inning where the Bucs walked three batters, hit two more and had two wild pitches. The seventh saw the Spirit tack on seven more runs on seven hits and three Buccaneer errors.

The Buc bats put six runs on the board including two solo home runs by Trey Markham. His second and third homers on the season. Zach Garrard threw 2.2 innings of scoreless relief to keep the Bucs in the game allowing only one hit and striking out three.

Game two was a pitcher's duel which saw Bucs hurler KJ Ward make his longest appearance of the season, throwing six innings, allowing only one earned run and while his strikeout totals may not have been where you normally see them, he did not walk a batter and showed he is more than just a hard thrower, hitting his spots and controlling his off-speed pitches.

With the score 1-1 in the sixth inning, a throw to third on an OUAZ steal attempt ricocheted off the bat of the batter at the plate and into the Buccaneer dugout which allowed the go-ahead run to score. OUAZ would add an insurance run in the seventh off of the Bucs bullpen for the final 3-1 score.

Up Next

Park Gilbert hits the road to travel to take on Embry Riddle and their high-flying offense in the light air of Prescott, Ariz., next week. The Bucs and Eagles will play one game on Thursday, March 5, a double header on Friday, March 6 and another solo game on Saturday, March 7.