OAKLAND, Calif. – Friday night's series opener against the Central Washington Wildcats was defined by early mistakes that led to a 7-2 defeat for the Urban Knights.
 
In the first inning, CWU took a 3-0 lead after Randy Fuller launched a 3-run home run to left field that scored two runners who reached after consecutive ART U fielding errors.
 
The Urban Knights would not get a run back until the second inning when senior first baseman Brett Adami got things started with a one-out triple to the right field wall. Junior designated hitter Cameron Jones Jr. followed with a single to right field past the diving second baseman to pull within two (3-1).
 
However, the Wildcats would respond with two more runs in their half of the third and sixth innings to lengthen their lead to 7-1.
 
Academy of Art would tack one more run onto the board before the lights were shut off; sophomore second baseman Michael Maleski was able to knock in senior right fielder Cody Edmunds with a groundout to third, reaching the final total of 7-2.
 
All in all, there were four ART U players who registered a hit, with Jones and Maleski receiving runs batted in. Junior right hander Brett Bovee started on the hill for the Knights and lasted 6.0 innings while giving up seven runs (five earned) and striking out two. Junior right hander Cody Ball also put in 2.0 innings of work without allowing a hit and walking and striking out one batter. Ball continued his early season dominance, having only turned in one earned run in his last 8.1 innings.
 
The Urban Knights will look to bounce back against Central Washington when they face off during a 1 p.m./4 p.m. double header on Saturday.