Baseball 4/29/2024 9:57:00 PM Robert Nilsen

Dunn Dazzles in Relief as Royals Rally to Defeat Spirit 10-5

Box Score Irvine, CA – The No. 8 Hope International University baseball team (36-12) rallied from behind to defeat the OUAZ Spirit 10-5 in their GSAC Tournament opener on Monday evening at the OC Great Park Baseball Stadium on Monday evening in Irvine, CA..

Trey Seeley got the start and pitched three innings allowing five runs, four earned on five hits while walking four and striking out six. Owen Dunn (3-0) picked up the win in relief pitching 5 one hit innings while striking out three. Amari Bartee led the offense going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

The Spirit got to Seeley early as they struck for three runs in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead but Seeley got a strikeout to limit the damage. The Royals offense then came up big in support of Seeley in the bottom of the first. David Rivera blasted a leadoff home run to right field to make it 3-1. A walk and passed ball followed before JJ Cruz ripped an RBI single up the middle to pull the Royals within 3-2. The Royals then tied the game on a passed ball to make it 3-3 before Ryan Maciel delivered an RBI single through the left side to put the Royals up 4-3. The Royals would then force an error to make it 5-3 before a chopper by Alex Moreno drove in two more runs to increase their lead to 7-3.

The Spirit continued to battle as they pulled a run back in the top of the second and top of the third innings to make it 7-5 but Seeley would get a big strikeout in the top of the third to limit the damage. The Royals then turned to their bullpen as Dunn came in and shut down the Spirit over the next five innings. The Royals meanwhile added to their lead on a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth to make it 8-5. The Royals weren't done as they struck for two more in the bottom of the sixth. With a runner on second and nobody out Dean Toigo ripped an RBI single through the right side to make it 9-5. Two batters later Bartee delivered a clutch two out RBI single to center to put the Royals up 10-5.

The Spirit tried to fight back but Dunn wasn't having it as he put the Spirit down in order in the top of the eighth. Boom Ward then came in from the bullpen and worked around a leadoff single and an error to get a double play and a flyout to seal a 10-5 win.

The Royals continue GSAC Tournament play as they take on the No. 12 Jessup University Warriors on Tuesday, April 30 at 2:00 PM at the OC Great Park Baseball Stadium in Irvine, CA.

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Players Mentioned

#1 David Rivera: INF; 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R

#26 JJ Cruz: INF; 6' 3"; Senior; L/R

#6 Alex Moreno: INF; 5' 10"; Senior; L/R

#20 Ryan Maciel: 1B/OF; 6' 1"; Senior; L/L

#18 Amari Bartee: OF; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

#32 Trey Seeley: RHP; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

#23 Dean Toigo: OF; 6' 3"; Junior; L/R

#19 Boom Ward: RHP; 6' 5"; Junior; R/R

#8 Owen Dunn: RHP; 6' 3"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#1 David Rivera
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#26 JJ Cruz
: 6' 3"; Senior; L/R
: INF

#6 Alex Moreno
: 5' 10"; Senior; L/R
: INF

#20 Ryan Maciel
: 6' 1"; Senior; L/L
: 1B/OF

#18 Amari Bartee
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#32 Trey Seeley
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#23 Dean Toigo
: 6' 3"; Junior; L/R
: OF

#19 Boom Ward
: 6' 5"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#8 Owen Dunn
: 6' 3"; Freshman; R/R
: RHP