Mesa, AZ- On Monday, Arizona Christian held Benedictine-Mesa to two runs in both games.  ACU scored 12 runs for the win in game one but were shutout in game two to create a split with Ben Mesa.  Senior Sianna Gomez was 5-9 with 4 RBI on the day.  Sophomore Anely Marcilla went the distance in game one for the win.

The Redhawks (8-5) struck first with a run in the bottom of the first of game one.  The Firestorm (14-13) answered right back in the top of the second with two runs.  Junior Ashlynn Preciado singled, moved up on a groundout, and came into score on an RBI single from Marcilla.  Gomez then doubled to drive in Marcilla.

In the top of the fourth, ACU added four runs.  Freshman Paige Church leadoff with a single.  Junior Chelsea Havill dropped down a sacrifice bunt.  Preciado walked.  Marcilla singled with two out to score Church and Preciado came home on an error during the play.  Junior Bridget Kruck walked and stole second.  Sophomore Jenna Castilleja then walked.  Gomez, the reigning GSAC Softball Player of the Week, followed with a double into the left center field gap that cashed in Marcilla and Kruck for the 6-1 score.

After Ben Mesa scored a run in the third, they were held off the scoreboard the rest of game one.

With two out in the fourth, Preciado and Senior Yvette Ortega walked back-to-back.  Marcilla helped her own cause with a RBI single into center.

Arizona Christian put the game out of reach with a five spot in the top of the sixth.  The highlights of the five runs that ACU wished that they could have held onto for the second game were a double for Preciado, a pinch hit RBI single by Sophomore Taylor Babbitt, and RBI singles for Castilleja and Gomez.

Marcilla improved to 6-0 on the year.

Despite base runners in every half inning through the top of the fourth, game two was 0-0 headed to the bottom of the fourth.  A double and walk opened the inning.  Senior Destinee Spencer, retired the next two hitters- strikeout and pop up- but could not close out the inning until after consecutive RBI singles made the score 2-0 Ben-Mesa.

The Firestorm put runners on base in each of the last three innings including at one point second and third.  But they could not plate even one run.

Spencer (1-2) was stuck with the loss even though she only allowed two runs over her six innings of work.

On Friday, the Firestorm will return to GSAC play as they host Hope International at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex for two games beginning at 2:00 pm.