Box Score #1
Box Score #2
St. George, UT – At Bruce Hurst Field for a Friday doubleheader, the Academy of Art University baseball team earned another impressive split against Dixie State, the #8 team in the West Region. Though DSC prevailed 12-3 in the opening contest, ART U took the lead early in game two and never looked back, winning 11-9 behind another gem by junior left-handed pitcher
Zach Mexicano (2-2). Sophomore infielder
Stefen Henderson, who homered in the first game, finished the day two runs batted in. Mexicano picked up his second consecutive victory over the Red Storm this season with a new career-high seven strikeouts.
“It's an indication of where we are and how far we've come,” Head Coach Brian Guinn said. “We're still battling to get better and as we're able to do the fundamental things correctly, we're going to be pretty good.”
Game one began with a dangerous bases loaded situation for Dixie State which freshman right-handed starter
Nick Giotta (0-2) pitched his way out of, allowing just one run. Following a quiet second inning, the Red Storm pushed across six runs in the third to establish a 7-0 advantage.
The ART U offense came alive in the fifth inning when junior catcher
Kenny Rollins, Jr. led off with a double. Senior outfielder
Ryan Worley then bunted his way on base and sophomore
Chris Holmes delivered a clutch hit with runners on the corners. His RBI single was followed by another run-producing knock by junior infielder
Jared DePatto. Though Dixie State had scored early, the Urban Knights had now managed to get to Mike Dedrick (2-1), the Red Storm starting pitcher who had been so masterful thus far.
Beginning the sixth inning in dramatic fashion, Henderson crushed a home run to left field. The solo shot which bounced off the outfield scoreboard was the first by any Urban Knight this season and the fourth in Henderson's ART U career. Dixie State, however, came back with a three-run rally in the seventh and would go on to win 12-3.
“Stefen got a hanging curve ball and he hit it pretty good,” Coach Guinn said about Henderson's home run. “Once Stef starts getting it going, he can put a charge in some balls.”
It was not long before Academy of Art got on the scoreboard in game two. After reaching on an error, senior outfielder
Johnathan Robbins swiped second base and eventually scored on DSC's second miscue of the first inning. ART U continued its head's up play and had junior infielder
Zach Babitt come around to home after yet another Dixie State error.
“The kids didn't get down on themselves after that first game and they got on scoreboard early,” Coach Guinn said. “They had good at-bats and put ball in play. Dixie made a few mistakes and we were able to capitalize on them.”
The ART U third inning was one to be remembered. Much like the first, Robbins sparked the rally by getting on base via a Red Storm error. Senior infielder
Darnell Quinney then plated Robbins with a single and Worley quickly followed with a double to center. Henderson continued the offensive flow with a run-scoring double. When the dust had settled, it was a 6-1 advantage for the Knights.
“It seems like the kids are getting a better approach at the plate because they're using the entire field and starting to square up some balls now,” Coach Guinn said. “All our hitting coach has been telling them is take what the pitchers give them and put the ball in play. They were doing that especially in the second game today.”
ART U kept its foot on the gas pedal in the fourth with Quinney coming through again. After junior outfielder
Niko Leite and Babitt both reached base, Quinney brought both home on a single. Academy of Art had now taken a commanding 8-1 lead midway through the contest. Defensively, Mexicano had found his rhythm on the mound and quickly silenced the Red Storm in order for six consecutive batters retired. On an efficient 23 pitches, the lefty notched three of his seven strikeouts in that two-inning span.
For all the offense in the first four innings, Academy of Art was still not done. Worley started off the fifth with a single and a steal which later set up a scoring opportunity for junior infielder
Andy Caniezo. One run came home on Caniezo's single and freshman
Wade Broadstreet then singled up the middle to score two more for ART U, pushing the lead to 11-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Dixie State answered back with a seven-run rally to cut into the Urban Knight advantage. However, with Broadstreet entering to pitch in relief, Academy of Art was able to hold on. Broadstreet stayed on for the final 2+ innings and would retire the final five batters he faced to preserve the win for Mexicano.
Mexicano set a new career-high with seven strikeouts in game two, topping his previous high which he achieved in the Knights' victory over Dixie last weekend. Though he allowed eight runs in the end, only one of those came through the first four sparkling innings. Backing up his teammate, Broadstreet picked up ART U's first save of 2011 with one run allowed and a strikeout over 2.1 innings pitched.
“We had some pretty good pitching performances from Mexicano and Broadstreet and the kids started swinging the bats as well,” Coach Guinn said. “Zach has good stuff when he throws strikes and he's going to be tough to hit. Tonight he was close to being perfect and he got out of some innings and did a good job. Wade came in, threw strikes, and got the job done to finish it off.”
In terms of offensive production, the middle of the ART U lineup led the way. Henderson was 2-for-6 with a home run, a double, two RBIs, and three runs scored in the two games while Quinney had a 3-for-8 day with three RBIs and one run scored. Worley wrapped up a 3-for-7 afternoon with three runs scored, a double, and a stolen base. Also, Rollins, Jr. was 2-for-4 in game one and Broadstreet had two RBIs in the second contest. With the split, ART U moves to 2-10 overall, 2-4 in PacWest competition.
Dixie State infielder Tyson Littlewood and outfielders Sam Friend and Eric Bond each had three hits in the first contest while catcher Joe Andrade added three RBIs to lead the Red Storm. Littlewood finished the day 3-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Starter Mike Dedrick (2-1) picked up the game one victory with two runs allowed on five hits and five strikeouts over 5.0 innings pitched. In the second contest, starter James Mahler fell to 2-2 after surrendering all 11 runs (six earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts in 4.0 innings on the mound. DSC is now 7-6 overall this season, 4-2 in the PacWest.
As an additional note, the Knights and Red Storm wrapped up the final inning of their game previously halted on Feb. 26. Dixie State took the 10-0 victory.
Academy of Art and DSC will continue this weekend series with another doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, Mar. 5. First pitch is now scheduled for 11:00 AM MST (10:00 AM PST) at Bruce Hurst Field.
