PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Simpson University Red Hawks baseball team opened the 2025 season tonight in the Coach Calderone Invitational as they took on #10 in the nation Arizona Christian Firestorm. 

Senior backstop and leadoff hitter Jaxon Hotta got Simpson started with an infield single to begin the 2025 season. 

Simpson threatened in the top of the third inning as Hotta picked up his second single of the game as Bo Valladao worked a walk to put early traffic aboard. 

But a base running miscue followed by a strikeout and groundout helped the Firestorm escape the jam.

Simpson drew first blood in the top of the fourth inning as a leadoff walk by Mario Catalan moved up to third base on an errant throw on a sacrifice bunt by Chase Rossman. 

A sacrifice fly to left field by Andreyes Palacios drove across the first run of the game before the Red Hawks added an insurance run on Hotta's third hit of the day on an RBI single. 

The Firestorm cut the lead in half as they put together a two-out rally and scored its first run of the game on a two-out single before Andreys Palacios picked up a huge outfield assist to cut down the would-be tying run at the plate on a nice tag by Hotta. 

Simpson chased the Firestorm starter in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Brayden Swenson followed by a sacrifice fly by Aden Munoz to pad Simpson's lead to 4-1. 

Starter Nathan Palacioz exited in the sixth inning as he fired five innings of one-run baseball off two hits. 

However, the Firestorm came roaring back in the bottom half of the inning as they took the 5-4 lead on four runs off four hits highlighted by a bases-loaded two RBI double. 

The Firestorm bullpen held the Simpson bats at bay as they did not allow a hit and just two Simpson base runners over the final three innings. 

Cleanup batter Alex Tolbert made a loud final out as the ACU left fielder made a spectacular running catch at the fence to seal the 5-4 come-from-behind victory. 

Hotta and Swenson highlighted the Red Hawk's offense as they combined for all six hits and two RBIs. Palacios and Munoz each added a sacrifice fly to round out the Simpson offense. 

Hotta had a stellar game offensively as he had a team-high four hits in five trips to the plate. He notched four singles and one RBI in the lead-off spot. 

Swenson had himself a solid night as he notched two hits which included an RBI single in the sixth inning. 

Starter Palacioz took the no-decision as he fired five innings of one-run baseball. Geremy McCollough had a nice game out of the Red Hawks bullpen as he put out the flames to the four-run seventh inning and went on to throw 1.2 innings of shutout baseball. 

Simpson looks to bounce back tomorrow as they continue play in the Coach Calderone Invitational as they take on Nelson University at 3 pm.

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