Glendale, Ariz.- After winning game one on Saturday, Arizona Christian let the chance to sweep San Diego Christian slip away and had to settle for a split.  Junior Claire Buckley terrorized SDCC pitching as she went 7-8 on the day (including 5-5 in game two) with three doubles and a homer.

Game Info

• Game one score: Arizona Christian - 6, San Diego Christian - 2
• Game two score: San Diego Christian - 5, Arizona Christian - 4 (10 inn)
• Records: Arizona Christian - 17-8, 3-1 GSAC, San Diego Christian - 7-9, 1-3 GSAC
• NAIA Top 25 ranking: Arizona Christian - not ranked, San Diego Christian - not ranked
• Location: ACU Softball Field, Arizona Christian University, Glendale, AZ

ACU Game One Stats

• Buckley - 2-3, HR, 2B, 2 RBI
• Allie Fryklund - 1-1, 2 RBI
• Taylor Alto - 2 BB, 2 runs
• Jade Phillips - 1-2, 2 RBI
• Savannah Smith - complete game win

Inside Game One

• The Hawks scored one in the first and the score remained 1-0 until the fourth
• Phillips walked ahead of Buckley launching her GSAC leading ninth home run of the season for a 2-1 edge
• SDCC tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth
• In the bottom of the frame, Kaitlyn Anderson sent a sacrifice fly to center to plate Alto and send ACU up a run
• Kirsten Garcia singled to bring home Phillips
• Fryklund deposited a pinch hit single just inside the left line to cash in Taylor Schleisman and Alto
• Smith worked around trouble in several innings but went the distance for win 11 on the year

ACU Game Two Stats

• Buckley - 5-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI
• Anderson - 1-4, 3B, RBI
• Joelle Dowdy - 1-3, 2 runs, RBI

Inside Game Two

• Buckley doubled, moved up on a ground out, and stole home for a 1-0 lead
• The only other run in the first seven innings was SDCC scoring in the fourth
• ACU is kicking themselves for failing to score after starting the third with runners at second and third and no outs
• Both teams scored their international tiebreak runner in the eighth
• Buckley plated Dowdy
• Jyden Miles kept the game knotted at three when she turned a fly ball out into a double play as she gunned down a runner trying to score from third
• A baserunning mistake cost the Firestorm in the bottom of the inning
• The ACU defense broke down in the tenth as the Hawks scored three times
• The Firestorm scored two in the bottom, Dowdy singled home Brenna Henry, and Buckley doubled home Dowdy
• Buckley's drive to right center just missed going over the fence for a game tying homer
• The game ended with Buckley stranded at second

Thoughts from Coach Mayben

"Game one was a nice team effort with hits through most of the lineup and solid defense.  Claire had a great day at the plate, but inconsistent defense and walks in game two gave San Diego Christian the opportunity to execute the short game and drive in runs with timely hitting."

Up Next

Next week, the Firestorm will make their first California trip of the season.On Friday, ACU will play two at Vanguard in Costa Mesa beginning at 12:00 pm.