BRISBANE, Calif. – The start to a Pacific West Conference softball weekend series between Academy of Art and UH Hilo saw a little of everything out at Mission Blue Field. After the Vulcans jumped out to an early lead and won the five-inning opener 10-2, the Urban Knights responded with nine runs bounced back with nine runs through the first three innings of the second game and outlasted their Hawaiian opponents 10-9 in ART U's first time scoring in double figures this season.
"I thought game two showed our character," said head coach
Sonja Garnett. "We came back from a tough loss in game one to score several runs early and secure a lead in the second game. We struggled a little to keep their offense at bay, but we continued to fight back and I am proud of the women for that."
GAME 1 – UH Hilo 10, ART U 2 (5)
A rocky start to the series opener saw the Vulcans score six times in the first inning as a result of four hits and three walks. The Knights came back with a run in the bottom half on a double steal with freshman infielder
Freddie Carrillo taking second and senior outfielder
Jessica West swiping home.
Hilo starter Billi Derleth (3-2) helped her own cause in the second with a two-run homer and an 8-1 lead that lasted until the third. After freshman infielder
Gracie Sotomayor led off with a single, Carrillo drove in her teammate on a single to shorten the gap. However, UH Hilo would rally once more in the fifth, going ahead 10-2 before Derleth finished the final frame to earn the victory.
GAME 2 – ART U 10, UH Hilo 9
Academy of Art wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the day's finale as three run-scoring singles were hit by Carrillo, sophomore infielder
Brenna Youngquist, and redshirt freshman catcher
Adrianna Rupright for a 3-0 lead after the opening inning.
Another three-run rally came in the second when Sotomayor, sophomore utility
Juliana Lopez, and West hit consecutive singles (West's drove in one run) then a wild pitch and another double steal by Carrillo and West made it 6-0 Knights.
Freshman
Hannah Rose Balke (10-5) had her first challenging inning in the third when a run-scoring single was given up, but ART U once more scored a trio of runs in the bottom half. Three infield errors started the inning and later Lopez plated two of her teammates with a single through the right side. Although the Knights had a sizeable 9-1 advantage at that point, it did not last long because UH Hilo dropped a five-spot in the fourth with a pair of two-run hits.
When the Vulcans shortened the margin to a single run on Kristen Ishii's two-run homer in the fifth, Senior pitcher
Alexa Peters (1-3) was called upon in relief. She managed to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam in that inning and went on to retire several batters in the critical late innings. Meanwhile, Academy of Art got her one run of support in the fifth on a bunt single by Carrillo and it was 10-8 heading to the sixth.
Hilo put runners on in that inning, but did not score and, despite getting one in the seventh on a double and a wild pitch, was stopped at that point. Peters earned the save with a groundout, preserving a 10-9 victory that finished under the lights.
Academy of Art is now 13-15 overall and 7-9 in PacWest play. The upper part of the batting order was particularly productive Saturday with Lopez becoming the 17th Urban Knight to ever record four hits in a game with her 4-for-4 performance that included a double in the day's finale. She had two runs batted in and scored three runs while West finished the day 3-for-5 with three stolen bases.
"Julie and Jess had a great day at the plate," said Garnett. "They were big contributors and had good team at bats today."
Carrillo drove in three runs with a 4-for-7 day along with two stolen bases. In the circle, Balke went 4.1 innings and picked up the win in game two, but could not have done so without Peters' first career save after 2.2 relief innings with just one run allowed.
UH Hilo moves to 10-14 overall and 4-10 in conference with the day's results. Derleth had the best day of any Vulcan, winning game one with 5.0 innings and two runs allowed on five hits in the circle to go with a 4-for-7 day at the plate that saw her hit a home run and drive in five total runs.
The Knights and Vulcans return to Mission Blue Field tomorrow to complete the series with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
