MESA, Ariz. --- The Park University Gilbert softball team (3-5) lost a non-conference doubleheader to the College of Idaho Yotes (4-2), Saturday afternoon at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz.
After a 3-1 start to the season, the Buccaneers have dropped four straight games. After Saturday afternoon's games, the Bucs dropped from fourth place to fifth place in the Great Southwest Athletic Conference standings.
Park-Gilbert dropped the first game 11-1 through five innings, resulting in a run rule. The Bucs' offense took a step forward in Game 2, but they fell 10-5. This was a Yotes team that received votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll. Park now holds an 0-6 lifetime record against COI.
Game 1: COI 11 PARK 1
After the Yotes scored six runs in the first and second innings, catcher Bri Titus got the Bucs on the board with a solo home run. This was Titus' first homer of the season, and the team's fifth of the year.
COI tacked on another run in the top of the third and another four runs in the top of the fourth, bringing the score to 11-1. The game was called off after five innings due to the run rule being applied.
Daysy Jaurez (1-2) made her second start of the season in Game 1, throwing for 113 total pitches. Juarez threw two strikeouts against the 32 batters faced.
Titus went 1-2 at the plate with a homer in the bottom of the second and a strikeout in the bottom of the fourth.
In Game 1, the Bucs logged three hits and two errors while COI recorded nine hits and one error.
Game 2: COI 10 PARK 5
Park-Gilbert drew first blood in the second game of this doubleheader, courtesy of a sac fly RBI from catcher Noelle Gumm in the bottom of the first. COI tied things up in the second off an RBI single coupled with an error in the outfield.
In the top of the third inning, Yotes left fielder Madelyn Powell hit a three-run homer to right center, giving the College of Idaho a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Park chipped away at the lead by adding two runs to the board. Gumm hit another sac fly which drove in center fielder Ari Fjeldsted. Two at-bats later, Titus hit an RBI single, which scored left fielder Diona Leannio.
Yotes catcher Madi Anderson put the College of Idaho up 9-3 in the top of the fourth with a grand slam, the first Park-Gilbert has allowed all season.
After a scoreless fifth inning from both teams, Park-Gilbert put two more runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Right fielder Madi Ban singled but an infelding error resulted in third base runner Mady Lackey reaching home. On the very next at-bat, Fjeldsted singled to center field as Ban scored.
The Yotes added their 10th and final run to the board in the top of the seventh, courtesy of an RBI single from Powell.
In the circle to start Game 2 was Yazmine Bernal (1-3), who threw 99 pitches in four innings. Of those 99 pitches, 60 were strikes. Grace Jump came in relief in the top of the fifth inning, as she logged two strikeouts and two hits allowed.
The Bucs logged seven hits and four errors to COI's 15 hits and two errors.
Up Next
The Buccaneers return to the field this Monday, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. MST, when they host the Simpson University Red Hawks (3-1) at McQueen Field in Gilbert, Ariz. This will be Park-Gilbert's final home doubleheader for over a month, as they return to McQueen on March 25 against Westcliff University.
