Box Score
Waipahu, Hawaii -- The Urban Knights wrapped up their four-game series against Hawaii Pacific with a 8-3 loss as a late-inning comeback fell through. Academy of Art University scored the most runs of its brief season with the top of the batting order (centerfielder Ryan Worley, left fielder Darnell Quinney and shortstop Camryn Hernandez) accounting for five hits, three runs and a RBI.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Alex Rosenthal got his first start of the season, but it was a rough one. He allowed seven earned runs on 12 hits while striking out one Sea Warrior and falls to 0-1 on the season.
HPU got going early with Jacob Valentine reaching on a fielding error after which he stole two bases and came home on a ground out for the first run of the game in the opening inning. The Sea Warriors led off the second inning with three consecutive hits and earned two runs in the process to increase their advantage to 3-0. Rosenthal ran into more trouble in the fourth when he registered a pair of walks and allowed a bunt single to load the bases. However, he did manage to get out of the inning allowing just one more run.
Another big inning came for HPU in the sixth when a two-run homer off the bat of Aaron Asher sailed over the centerfield fence. Academy of Art University soon headed into the eighth inning trailing 7-0, but the visitors used their speed to mount a comeback.
Worley was hit by a pitch to kick things off and then made it to third base after attempting to steal and forcing a throwing error by the catcher. He would score on a balk by the pitcher before Quinney came up with a single and promptly stole second. Quinney then came home on a RBI single by Hernandez which was later followed by a RBI double at the hands of sophomore first baseman Chris Vargas. The surge ended prematurely for the Knights who finished the inning with a strikeout and ended with a quick scoreless ninth.
Solid pitching by HPU's left-hander Daniel Cox kept AAU in check prior to that burst in the eighth. He gave up no runs and four hits while striking out seven Urban Knights. The win was his first of the season.
Overall, Academy of Art University is now 0-6 and the Sea Warriors stay a perfect 8-0 following the series.
AAU now travels to Kona, Hawaii for a doubleheader against the University of Hawaii at Hilo Vulcans on Feb. 24. The first pitch is set for 3:00 PM.
