Surprise, Ariz.- On the strength of two home runs from Junior Claire Buckley and a home run off the bat of Sophomore Kaitlyn Anderson, Arizona Christian swept OUAZ to begin GSAC play on Wednesday.

Game Info

• Game one score: Arizona Christian - 9, OUAZ - 8 (9 inn)
• Game two score: Arizona Christian - 12, OUAZ - 4 (5 inn)
• Records: Arizona Christian - 16-7, 2-0 GSAC, OUAZ - 14-8, 0-2 GSAC
• NAIA Top 25 ranking: Arizona Christian - not ranked, OUAZ - not ranked
• Location: Willow Canyon High School, Surprise, AZ

ACU Game One Stats

• Buckley - 2-4, 2 HR, 3 runs, 3 RBI
• Jyden Miles - 2-5, 2 runs
• Taylor Schleisman - 2-4, 2 2B
• Taylor Alto - 2-2, 2B
• Anderson - 1-4, HR, RBI
• Kirsten Garcia - 1-4, RBI
• Bibi Acosta - 1-2, 2B
• Savannah Smith - win
• Allie Fryklund - save

Inside Game One

• Buckley opened GSAC play with a bang as she homered to left leading off game one
• After Miles singled behind Buckley, she scored on a Schleisman sac bunt/Alto sac fly combo
• Anderson connected on her first collegiate home run to start the second
• OUAZ answered with two in the  third and one in the fourth
• Buckley drilled her eighth homer of the season in the fifth with Jade Phillips aboard
• The Spirit again tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the inning
• Alto doubled and came home on a Garcia single before Acosta doubled in Garcia in the sixth
• OUAZ added a run in the sixth and one in the seventh to force extra innings
• The eight was only inning neither team scored
• With two outs, Buckley walked, Miles reached on an error that scored Buckley, and Schleisman doubled home Miles with the game winning run
• A walk, double, walk loaded the bases with no out in the bottom of the ninth
• After one scored on a wild pitch, Fryklund shut the door with a strikeout and two popups for the save
• Game one was the third straight 9-8 game played by the Firestorm

ACU Game Two Stats

• Buckley - 3-3, 2B, 3 runs, RBI
• Miles - 2-4, 2 runs
• Schleisman - 1-3, 2B, 3 RBI
• Alto - 2-4, run,  RBI
• Garcia - 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI
• Anderson - 2-3, 2B, RBI
• Monique Zarate - 1-4, 2 RBI
• Ariel Rico - 2.2 relief innings, win

Inside Game Two

• Like game one, Buckley started the game with an extra base (double) and scored on a Schleisman grounder
• A two run homer in the bottom half gave OUAZ their only lead of the day
• However, ACU sent 13 batters to the plate and scored seven runs to move ahead for good in the third
• A two RBI double from Garcia was the only extra base hit in the scoring barrage
• Zarate singled home Garcia in the fourth
• Three straight singles to start the fifth all scored to create the final run differential

Thoughts from Coach Mayben

"Today was a good test of our ability to persevere and compete an entire game.  Then coming out with confidence and hitting the ball hard for five innings of game two.  Claire, Alto, and Kait had great days at the plate to spark our offense today."

Up Next

Come Saturday, the Firestorm will host their first GSAC home doubleheader of the season as San Diego Christian arrives for a visit.First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 am.