By: Garrett Campbell

REDDING, Calif. --- The Park University Gilbert softball team (7-7) earned three wins in three games played Friday afternoon at the Simpson University Round Robin in Redding, Calif.

After falling to the No. 10 ranked Oregon Tech Owls Thursday evening, the Buccaneers got back to .500 in overall play. They took down Simpson University (5-7) at 11 a.m. MST followed by a pair of wins against Corban University (0-4).

Defense won the day for the Buccaneers, who allowed a total of five runs in three games. Their win against Simpson and Corban in Game 3 were achieved in dominant fashion as the run rule was applied in those contests. Additionally, the Bucs held CU scoreless in the final two innings of their first contest Friday afternoon.

Anna Chavez, the transfer out of Cal Lutheran, became the first Buccaneer this season to record multiple home runs in one game against Simpson. Chavez, the Bucs' leader in home runs this season with four, ripped a solo homer in the third inning and a grand slam in the fourth inning.

Game 1: Park 9 Simpson 1 (5 inn.)

The Buccaneers put a pair of runs on the board in the top of the first via an infielding error and a passed ball with the bases loaded. Park Gilbert scored another unearned run in the top of the second off an infielding error.

Chavez put the next five runs on the board in the top of the third and fourth with her homer and grand slam to make the score 8-0. Later in the top of the fourth, second baseman Mady Lackey walked with the bases loaded. Simpson responded with its lone run in the bottom of the fifth.

In the circle for the first of three games for the Bucs Friday afternoon was Yazmine Bernal (3-3). Bernal pitched five innings, striking out three and allowing four hits on 77 pitches.

Center fielder Dionna Leanio went 2-3 at the plate, while Chavez and center fielder Ari Fjeldsted went 2-4.

The Bucs recorded nine hits and one error to the Red Hawks' four hits and three errors.

Game 2: Park 3 Corban 2

After a scoreless two innings, the Bucs scored their first run in the top of the third coutesy of an RBI double from Fjeldsted. Corban tied things up at one in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single.

Park put a pair of runs on the board in the top of the fifth. Designated player Noelle Gumm off an infielding error with the bases loaded, scoring left fielder Jada Montoya. Later in the frame, Chavez got her sixth RBI of the day with a sac fly to left field. The last run of the game came in the bottom of the fifth as CU scored off an outfielding error.

Daysy Juarez (2-1) started in the circle for Park's second game of the day. Juarez threw a season-high seven strikeouts, allowing five hits on 126 total pitches.

Both teams logged five hits and two errors.

Game 3: Park 11 Corban 2 (6 inn.)

The Buccaneers earned their fourth run-rule win of the season, in the final game played on Thursday afternoon. This particular contest was a rescheduling from Thursday afternoon, due to inclement weather in Redding.

The game began with Chavez recording RBI No. 7 on the day with a sac fly to right field. Park tacked on another run in the top of the fourth as third baseman Amaya Ruiz hit a sac fly of her own.

After the Warriors tied things up at two in the bottom of the fifth, the Bucs had an explosive nine-run outing in the bottom of the sixth.

The frame began with Lackey recording an RBI single. An infielding error on Ruiz's at-bat led to a pair of unearned runs reaching home. Shortstop Kayla Seto then recorded her first RBI of the season with a single up the middle to make the score 6-2. Fjeldsted drove in the seventh run with an RBI single, and she later scored an unearned run due to another Corban error. The final three runs of this game came from an RBI double from Gumm and an RBI triple from first baseman Bri Titus.

Pitcher Grace Jump started in Game 3 as she struck out five batters and allowed four hits on 85 pitches.

Gumm, the Buccaneers' leader in RBIs with 15, went a perfect 4-4 from the plate in this game.

The Buccaneers were one hit shy of tying their season high with 11 hits in Game 3.

Up Next

The Buccaneers return to the field tomorrow, Feb. 21 at 11 a.m. MST for Day 3 of round robin action and a rematch against Simpson in Redding, Calif.