Softball Splits Two with Scottsdale, 9-0, 5-6

Mesa, AZ - A late Scottsdale two run home run in game two eliminated a chance for Mesa to sweep the Artichokes Tuesday afternoon.  The T-Birds however did win game one 9-0 but fell 6-5 in game two.

Game 1

It took til the fifth inning for runs to be put on the board but the T-Birds opened the flood gates with a six run inning.  To top off the six run inning was a Leighann Ballesteros three run homer to left field.

Mesa tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it a 9-0 victory for the T-Birds.

Emerald Grijalva had a solid outing in the circle for Mesa.  She had a one hit complete game, with seven strikeouts.  Mesa had 11 hits themselves in game one.

Game 2

Each pitcher had a difficult time navigating a tight strike zone in game two.  Mesa did get on the board in the first inning with a sacrifice fly from Valerie Macias which scored Raychele Hernandez.

The Artichokes answered with a run of their own in the top of second to tie the game at one.  Scottsdale was able to add three more runs in the third and fourth innings, taking a 4-1 lead.

Mesa cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom half of the fourth when Ballesteros hit a double to left field, scoring Macias, who singled earlier in the inning.  Alexis Cirelol then singled in Ballesteros.

Ballesteros added two more RBI's in the fifth inning when she again doubled in both Macias and Marissa Ibarra-Palomo, helping Mesa take the 5-4 lead.  Ballesteros went 2-4 in game two, with three RBI's.

The deciding blow for Scottsdale though was a two run homerun to right field in the sixth inning to give them a 6-5 advantage.  Mesa couldn't account for anymore runs and dropped game two, 6-5.

Mesa is now 3-1 on the season, now 1-1 in the ACCAC.  The T-Birds will hit the road for the first time on the season, heading to Gateway on Saturday for a double-header.