FULLERTON – Hope International softball opened the GSAC portion of its schedule on a disappointing note, falling 5-3 and 5-0 to OUAZ on Friday at Bastanchury Park.

The Royals squandered a 3-0 lead after allowing the Spirit a five-run explosion in the seventh inning of game one. In game two, HIU struggled to muster any offense as two OUAZ pitchers combined for a three-hit shutout.

HIU is 12-9 on the season, while OUAZ improved to 10-6.

Game 1 – OUAZ 5, Hope International 3
The Royals started off with a 2-0 lead in the second. Chey Navarro and Gabriela Holmes recorded back-to-back singles, and Amanda Esquivel loaded the bases after reaching on an error by the OUAZ second baseman.

Arianna Aguirre drew a bases loaded walk and Vivian Little posted an RBI single for the two HIU runs.

In the fourth, the Royals loaded the bags again on a single, hit by pitch and walk. Little drove in her second run of the game on a sacrifice fly as HIU led 3-0.

Kaitlyn Maaske controlled the game, setting the Spirit down in order in the first and sixth innings. The Spirit managed five singles and three walks off Maaske, but the right-hander escaped trouble.

That was until the seventh, when OUAZ got a Kinzy Creighton leadoff double and Elysa Moreno single to put runners at the corners. Maaske had a chance to record the first out, but committed a fielding error on Nayeli Inzunza's comeback as Creighton scored the first OUAZ run.

After Brianna Humphries singled to load the bases, Navarro nailed Moreno at home plate as she attempted to score on Savannah Sutton's ground ball.

The Royals recorded the second out on a wild play in which the shortstop committed a throwing error, but Humphries interfered with the HIU third baseman. Inzunza scored on the play to make it 3-2, but the Royals had two outs.

OUAZ's Alexis Jimenez walked to again load the bases.

Alexis Rodriguez followed with a bases-clearing double to give the Spirit a 5-3 lead.

Alexis Ayersman, who started the game and threw the first three innings, entered in relief and got the save after pitching a scoreless seventh. The Royals created drama by loading the bases on a walk, fielder's choice and single, but Esquivel fouled out to the catcher to end the game.

Ava Seguin earned the win after pitching 3.0 innings of relief, allowing just two hits and a run. Maaske allowed all five runs, but only one was earned as she took the hard luck loss and dropped to 6-5.

Game 2 – OUAZ 5, Hope International 0
The three HIU hits included an Esquivel second inning single, and two Emma McCraw knocks – a third inning double and fifth inning single.

The Royals had at least one runner in scoring position in each of the first three innings, but could not cash in.

OUAZ scored once in the third as Creighton's single scored Rodriguez.

The Spirit got two solo home runs in the fourth from Humphries and Seguin to go up 3-0. They added two more runs in the seventh on a Moreno double to left center.

Stephanie Cortazar and Seguin combined for the three-hitter. Cortazar tossed the first three innings and Seguin mopped up for the final four.

Little took the loss for HIU, going 3.1 innings and allowing three runs. Karlie Bilbrey pitched the final 3.2 innings and struck out four.

The two teams play another doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 11:00 a.m.