Glendale, Ariz. - Tanner Vielguth's two-run home run in eighth and RBI-hit by pitch in the ninth pulled the Firestorm dead even, but they were outslugged in three extra innings by #25 Benedictine Mesa to lose 8-6. Seven ACU pitchers saw action in a bullpen battle (seven for Ben Mesa as well) and combined to surrender 20 Redhawk hits, the second-most this season (22 against OUAZ on February 24th).

Besides Vielguth's heroics, Marques Titialii and Kane Kiaunis hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning and were responsible for five hits and two RBIs. Noah DeLuca seemed to find his footing in his eighth appearance, going 3-for-5 at the plate and scoring one run.

Sean Garcia smacked two hits, including his ninth double of 2024 (second-most behind Jared Anderson's 10). 

Eastyn Culp's fifth start on the diamond was also his shortest, being yanked after 2.0 innings. He allowed one run, struck out two Redhawks and faced 10 batters.

Trey Tarver worked a season-high 3.0 innings to close out the ball game, punching out five but conceding the game-winning home run to Ben Mesa's Jose Romero.

GAME INFO

Score: RV Arizona Christian 6 | #25 Benedictine Mesa 8 (12 INN)
Records: RV ACU 14-14 (7-8 GSAC) | #25 BENU 19-7 (7-2 Cal Pac)
Location: Greenway High School - Glendale, AZ

STAT TRACKER

Marques Titialii - 3 hits, 1 RBI, 1 home run
Noah DeLuca - 3 hits, 1 run
Kane Kiaunis - 2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 home run
Tanner Vielguth - 1 hit, 3 RBIs, 1 home run
Sean Garcia - 2 hits, 1 double
Jared Anderson - 1 hit, 1 run
Trey Tarver - 1 RBI, 3.0 IP, 2 RA, 5 K
Eastyn Culp - 2.0 IP, 1 RA, 2 K

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

Three hits and a throwing error from Culp resulted in one Redhawk run (Preston Vine). Following the retirement of the first two ACU batters, Titialii and Kiaunis electrified the Firestorm dugout with back-to-back home runs. Garcia and Anderson would be stranded on first and second, the Firestorm with a 2-1 advantage through the first frame.

Each ball club had scoring opportunities, but failed to add to their tally over the next three innings. 

Evan Hieb, who came in to relieve Chay Esqueda, retired his first two batters before the Redhawks' Jack Fitzgerald ripped a triple to left center and Ryan Curran paid it off with a left-line single. With the game knotted at 2, Tarver scored DeLuca with a sacrifice fly to center field to retake a one-run lead through five innings.

Hieb was met with another triple, this time off the bat of Cameron Jowaiszas. Catcher Romero sent Jowaiszas home with a single in the next at-bat. The Firestorm were unable to do any damage with a Garcia double in the sixth.

A walk and fielding error signed off to the next reliever Christian Lucero, paved the way for the go-ahead Ben Mesa run (Curran single, Vine score). Once again, DeLuca advanced to third (single, throwing error, Tarver flyout) but ACU could not convert this time around.

The Redhawks scored for the fourth straight inning when the eighth rolled around, hitting three times off of Harrison Howell, the latest Firestorm reliever. A Vine single was only supposed to bring Jowaiszas through home plate, but a fielding error by Riley Quinton (came in for Tarver at first base) empowered Romero to score.

Back against the wall, Anderson led off the Firestorm eighth with a much-needed base hit. Vielguth then took full advantage of a pinch-hitting opportunity and obliterated a ball over the left-center fence. No further damage was done, but the deficit was now only one (6-5).

Payton Robertson was given the ball in the ninth, and shut down a potential threat in a lead-off single by forcing the next three outs. With two outs recorded, Kiaunis kept hope alive with a single and an Anderson walk loaded the bases. Vielguth was hit by a pitch with the count full to send in Titialii and tie the game at 6. Jaylen Edmonds was a base-hit away from a walk-off, but completed an 0-for-5 effort with a groundout.

Tarver retired Ben Mesa in order in the 10th but the Firestorm could not pounce on the chance to win, stranding two runners. Neither side got anything going in the 11th before the Redhawks' Romero broke the glass with a two-run home run. ACU could not respond to the hottest Ben Mesa inning (four hits, two runs) and had to face the reality of their fifth straight loss.

NEXT FOR THE FIRESTORM

The Arizona Christian Firestorm will have to wait till Friday to snap their five-game losing streak, a three-game series with Menlo (9-15, 4-8 GSAC) next up. Game 1's first pitch is set for 7:30 PM from Greenway High School. Don't miss a single play with live stats at https://acufirestorm.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary and watch the broadcast at https://www.gsacsportsnetwork.com/azchristian/.  
    
                          
Roll Storm!