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Arizona Christian University

OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE OF ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
BB 2024 - Week 9 Preview

Baseball Payne Moses

Crunch Time Meets Home Cooking

Glendale, Ariz. - The Firestorm return to their home ballpark this week with intentions to ditch their current four-game slide. Their next opportunity to get back in the winning circle is tonight with #25 Benedictine Mesa coming to Glendale for the third time this 2024 season. On Friday and Saturday, Menlo College enters the fray and will take the field for a critical three-game series in GSAC play.

Through March 16, Arizona Christian maintains a .291 team batting average (6th in GSAC), 5.47 team ERA (3rd in GSAC) and .495 slugging percentage (T-3rd in GSAC). Andrew Ivy and Trey Tarver post a .667 slugging percentage (T-9th in GSAC), Tarver has hit eight home runs (3rd in GSAC), Jared Anderson has 10 doubles to his credit (5th in GSAC), Deshon Thomas has stolen nine bases (T-7th in GSAC), and Eli Elliott has struck out 54 batters (3rd in GSAC). 

Game Details

RV Arizona Christian vs. #25 Benedictine Mesa - Tuesday, March 19 at 7:30 PM
RV Arizona Christian vs. Menlo College - Friday, March 22 at 7:30 PM
RV Arizona Christian vs. Menlo College - Saturday, March 23 at 4:00 PM
RV Arizona Christian vs. Menlo College - Saturday, March 23 at 7:00 PM

Greenway High School - Glendale, AZ

*All Times Are Arizona Time

Live Coverage

Video - https://www.gsacsportsnetwork.com/azchristian/ 
Live Stats - https://acufirestorm.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary 

Arizona Christian

The Firestorm fought hard to stay in the thick of things, but were overpowered by the number one offense in the GSAC as the #9 Jessup Warriors took both of a Saturday double header (11-7, 4-3) to sweep the weekend series at McBean Park. ACU held leads briefly in both contests but had difficulty closing on the mound, allowing five multi-run innings and five home runs. 

Andrew Ivy was certainly a bright spot for the Firestorm, going 5-for-9 at the plate including two RBIs and a solo home run in Game 1. His 4-of-5 effort in Game 1 helped him to a season-high in hits, tying Jaylen Edmond's mark which has been set two times over. 

Five ACU players reached two hits in the double header, every one of them capitalizing with an RBI. Of those five, Trey Tarver smashed the only homerun (a solo shot in Game 1's first inning) and both Marques Titialii and Jared Anderson scored two runs.

Noah DeLuca rapped his first two hits as a member of the Firestorm, both of which came in Game 2.

Game 1 starter Adrian Santa Cruz did not have his best stuff, giving up six runs in 3.0 innings on the mound while only punching out one Jessup batter. Eli Elliott was the designated Game 2 pitcher and was in line for his third win of the season (3-2, ACU) before the Warriors lit up Tarver for two runs in the sixth to steal the victory.

With the 3-0 series sweep, #9 Jessup took the 2024 regular-season series 4-2.

ACU Key Players

Jaylen Edmonds - .362 BA, 34 hits, 18 RBIs 
Andrew Ivy - .347 BA, 26 hits, 20 RBIs
Sean Garcia - .328 BA, 22 hits, 10 RBIs
Kane Kiaunis - .319 BA, 29 hits, 25 RBIs
Trey Tarver - .312 BA, 29 hits, 21 RBIs
Marques Titialii - .294 BA, 25 hits, 24 RBIs
Jared Anderson - .283 BA, 30 hits, 16 RBIs
Eli Elliott - 3.05 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 54 K
Jackson Hohensee - 5.79 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 47 K

Series Notes

Arizona Christian won two of the first three games played this season, moving their all-time record to 8-17 against the Benedictine Mesa Redhawks. The Firestorm took both home contests (4-2, 11-4) before losing 10-5 at Gene Autry. The loss on February 10th kept ACU winless on the road (0-9) in this series. Of note, Andrew Ivy hit a grand slam (still the only one in 2024) in Game 1 that ended up being the difference and five relievers combined for 10 strikeouts and zero allowed runs. In Game 2, Marques Titialii officially became ACU's home run king with a pair of two-run home runs, Ivy batted 3-for-3 and Adrian Santa Cruz punched out seven batters on-route to his second win of the season.

The Firestorm enter Friday 11-13 in their all-time series against the Menlo College Oaks. Following seven opening losses, Arizona Christian is 11-6 and 6-2 as the home team. Last season, the Firestorm won the season series 2-1 in Atherton, California via splitting a Friday double header (L 5-3, W 8-5) and winning the Saturday finale 13-10. Eli Elliott and Adrian Santa Cruz each got through six plus innings on Friday, while Daniel Durazo led the squad at the plate with four hits and four RBIs. In order to secure the 2023 series victory, Game 3 required seven pitchers and three runs in the 10th inning. Enrique Porchas smacked a two-RBI triple in the 10th and led the way with three total RBIs. 

Thoughts From Coach Joe McDonald

"Huge week for us to get back on track," Coach McDonald said. "We look forward to getting the train back on track and making a run to the postseason."

Benedictine Mesa

The Benedictine University Mesa Redhawks (18-7, 7-2 Cal Pac) fell six spots in the first regular-season NAIA Coaches' Top-25 Poll to the 25th position. The Joe Silva-led Redhawks have fared well in conference play, winning all three series to this point. At home, Ben Mesa boasts a 14-4 record and is 3-2 on the road. Most recently, the Redhawks defeated Park Gilbert 2-1 in their March 16-17 series. Cameron Jowaiszas led his team with 4 hits, 3 runs and 4 RBIs in Game 2 while Jack Fitzgerald registered a grand slam in the same contest. Through March 17, Ben Mesa has a .327 BA (2nd in Cal Pac), 175 RBIs (3rd in Cal Pac), and a 4.50 ERA (1st in Cal Pac). Carlos Parra is the top hitter (.375 BA, 36 hits, 22 RBIs), Justin Bates is the top pitcher (4.58 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 32 K), and Fitzgerald the top fielder (137 putouts, 11 assists, .955 FP).

Menlo

The Menlo College Oaks (8-14, 4-8 GSAC) are riding a bit of a hot streak, having swept The Master's this past weekend with three one-run (13-12, 4-3, 9-8) victories at Cartan Field. The Alex Hoover-led Oaks have begun to find their footing in conference play after opening 0-5. The Oaks won all three games against the Mustangs in walk-off fashion. In Game 1, Menlo tallied 20 hits and six players managed three hits, Zach Dyer paying his off with six RBIs. Dyer walked off Game 2 in unusual fashion, grounding out to The Master's shortstop but a throwing error sent the winning two runs home. Jonathan Charboneau (2-for-4, 1 RBI) won Game 3 with an RBI-single that painted the right-field line. Through March 16, the Oaks post a .264 BA (7th in GSAC), 8.17 ERA (7th in GSAC), and .408 slugging percentage (7th in GSAC). Sage Pera is the top hitter (.280 BA, 21 hits, 23 RBIs), Cody Carson the top pitcher (5.47 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 23 K) and Jake Warkentien the top fielder (153 putouts, 16 assists, .994 FP).


Roll Storm!
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Players Mentioned

Daniel Durazo

#17 Daniel Durazo

OF
5' 10"
Junior
Enrique Porchas

#3 Enrique Porchas

IF
5' 11"
Senior
Eli Elliott

#8 Eli Elliott

P
6' 2"
Senior
R/R
Sean Garcia

#23 Sean Garcia

IF
5' 9"
Junior
L/R
Jackson Hohensee

#34 Jackson Hohensee

P
6' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
Andrew Ivy

#30 Andrew Ivy

OF
5' 9"
Sophomore
L/L
Adrian Santa Cruz

#13 Adrian Santa Cruz

P
6' 4"
Senior
R/R
Trey Tarver

#10 Trey Tarver

P
6' 3"
Junior
L/L
Deshon Thomas

#2 Deshon Thomas

OF
6' 2"
Junior
R/R
Marques Titialii

#11 Marques Titialii

OF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Jared Anderson

#17 Jared Anderson

OF/1B
6' 1"
Junior
R/R
Noah DeLuca

#37 Noah DeLuca

IF
6' 0"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Daniel Durazo

#17 Daniel Durazo

5' 10"
Junior
OF
Enrique Porchas

#3 Enrique Porchas

5' 11"
Senior
IF
Eli Elliott

#8 Eli Elliott

6' 2"
Senior
R/R
P
Sean Garcia

#23 Sean Garcia

5' 9"
Junior
L/R
IF
Jackson Hohensee

#34 Jackson Hohensee

6' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
P
Andrew Ivy

#30 Andrew Ivy

5' 9"
Sophomore
L/L
OF
Adrian Santa Cruz

#13 Adrian Santa Cruz

6' 4"
Senior
R/R
P
Trey Tarver

#10 Trey Tarver

6' 3"
Junior
L/L
P
Deshon Thomas

#2 Deshon Thomas

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
OF
Marques Titialii

#11 Marques Titialii

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
OF
Jared Anderson

#17 Jared Anderson

6' 1"
Junior
R/R
OF/1B
Noah DeLuca

#37 Noah DeLuca

6' 0"
Junior
R/R
IF