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Hope International University

HIU vs ACU B
23
Winner Hope International HIU 29-7, 17-5 GSAC
13
Arizona Christian (AZ) ACU 26-20, 11-11 GSAC
Winner
Hope International HIU
29-7, 17-5 GSAC
23
Final
13
Arizona Christian (AZ) ACU
26-20, 11-11 GSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Hope International HIU 1 1 3 0 2 2 3 8 3 23 26 3
Arizona Christian (AZ) ACU 0 0 3 1 2 1 1 3 2 13 14 2

W: Roberson, Bailey (3-1) L: J. Hohensee (4-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Robert Nilsen

Rivera Leads Royals Offensive Explosion in Big Win Over Firestorm

Glendale, AZ – The Hope International University baseball team (29-7, 17-5 GSAC) won their sixth game in a row as they opened up their final GSAC regular season series with a 23-13 thriller win over Arizona Christian on Friday afternoon at Glendale High School in Glendale, AZ

Connor Martin got the start and pitched 4 2/3 innings allowing six runs, five earned on six hits while walking four and striking out four. Bailey Roberson (3-1) picked up the win in relief allowing two runs, one earned on two hits while striking out one. David Rivera led the Royals offense going 3-for-6 with 4 RBIs.

The Royals jumped on top in the first as Rivera crushed a solo home run to left center with one out to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. The Royals then made it 2-0 in the top of the second on a two our RBI single to Junior Coleman to make it 2-0. The Royals continued to score in the third as Matthew Pinal hit a two run shot to right with two outs to make it 4-0. Then after a walk Omar Veloz ripped an RBI double to right center to make it 5-0.

The Firestorm didn't give up as they put up three runs in the bottom of the third and one in the bottom of the fourth to pull within 5-4. The Royals answered through as they got two runs back on a clutch two out two run single by Alex Moreno to push their lead to 7-4 in the fifth. The Firestorm though came right back in the bottom half to make it 7-6. The Royals didn't flinch though as they scored two more runs on a two out two run double by Veloz to make it 9-6 in the sixth. The Firestorm once again pushed across a run in the bottom half to make it 9-7 and again the Royals answered in the top of the seventh. First Robert Mattei delivered an RBI on a sac bunt to make it 10-7. Pinal then unloaded an RBI double to center to make it 11-7 and then Branden Chun-Ming ripped an RBI double down the right field line to put the Royals up 12-7.

The Firestorm kept coming though as they got a run back in the bottom of the seventh to make it 12-8 but the Royals answered in the top of the eighth with a huge inning to expand their lead. With one on and one out Alex Moreno delivered an RBI double to make it 13-8. Rivera then smashed his second home run of the game, a two run shot to left to make it 15-8. Back to back doubles then scored another run as Mattei picked up the RBI to make it 16-8. Derek Sims then delivered an RBI single up the middle to make it 17-8. The Royals weren't done as Chun-Ming lined an RBI single to left to push the lead to 18-8. Junior Coleman then followed an RBI single through the right side to make it 19-8 before a bases loaded walk made it 20-8

The Firestorm didn't go down without a fight though as they got three in the bottom of the eighth to make it 20-11 but the Royals once again added to their lead with three runs in the top of the ninth off an RBI groundout by Ryan Lamastra and an error as they took a 23-11 lead. The Firestorm got two runs back in the bottom of the ninth to make it 23-13 but Justin Drury came back to get the final three outs as the Royals won big.

The Royals wrap up their GSAC regular season series against Arizona Christian with a doubleheader beginning on Saturday, April 22 at 11:00 AM at Glendale High School in Glendale, CA. 
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