Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Oakland, CA -- The Academy of Art University rode a big inning to victory in the opening game of the series against University of Hawaii at Hilo, and looked like they just needed a couple more hits in the second, running out of time as they split Friday's doubleheader. The Urban Knights cashed in for a 7-5 win in the opener before rallying in the ninth but falling 5-1 in the second game.

The Vulcans took a brief lead in their half of the second inning of the opening game, using a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead. But the Knights used the big inning to jump out in front in their half. Chucky Cavestany continued his hot streak with a single up the middle, and Daniel Skinner followed with a single of his own. After a sacrifice bunt from Jordan Thomas, Maclane Brady was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Catcher Kevin Decker singled through the left side to drive in a run, and the big hit came when Lyle "Kalani" Brackenridge tripled to right-center, sliding around the tag to be safe at third base and making it a 4-1 game.

ART U starter Nicholas Boyett (2-1) set UH Hilo down in order in the third and the Knights added two more in their half. Joseph Marchini walked on four pitches, stealing second, and then scoring when Cavestany hit another single up the middle, advancing to second on the throw and knocking UHH starter Jeremy Dela Cruz (3-2) out of the game. Thomas knocked in Cavestany with a single, and the Urban Knights held a 6-1 lead.

Boyett (6.0 IP, 5H, 2R) gave up another lone run in the fourth inning on three singles by the Vulcans, but set them down in the fifth inning on only nine pitches. The Knights got another run in the fifth when Thomas got a double down the left field line and scored on a single to left from Brady, making it 7-1. That last run was important, as the very next inning Hilo rallied to make things a lot closer than they had seemed.

Aaron Garabedian came in out of the bullpen to start the seventh, and after getting the leadoff man out, gave up three straight singles to load the bases. An error scored two runs, and a balk scored the third run of the inning, making it 7-5 before Garabedian got Samuel Kim to ground out to end the inning.

But the bullpen settled in after that, as Garabedian set the Vulcans down in order in the eight and Maclane Brady came in for the ninth. He induced a groundout from Ryan Fukunaga, and after hitting Jordan Murai with a pitch, got Edison Sakata to fly out to center. Then, with a full count to Hilo's third-place hitter Kyle Watase, Brady went upstairs and got Watase to chase, striking him out and securing his second save and the win for Academy of Art.


Nick Giotta (0-1) was on the hill in the second game, and he pitched arguably his best game as an Urban Knight, although it ended up in a loss. The redshirt junior, who missed an entire season due to injury earlier in his career, threw five innings and only allowed two earned runs, one in the second inning on a botched double steal and another in the fourth on an RBI single by right-fielder Austin Cusack.

He gave way to the bullpen, which also gave up single runs to the Vulcans in three straight innings. Drew Keeler pitched an inning and third after Giotta, giving up a run in the sixth, while lefty Alex Kuisel gave up a r un in the seventh that made it 4-1. Hilo got their final run off of Brandon Poulson in the eighth, before Yoshi Uemura came in with one and a third innings in the ninth.

The Urban Knights had one last chance in the ninth and made the most of it, as Cavestany reached on an error with two outs. Daniel Skinner then hit a deep drive that cleared the outfielder in center, but he was cut down trying to stretch it to a triple. However, it was ruled that Cavestany crossed the plate before Skinner was out, and even though the game ended, the Knights avoided the shutout.