ALAMEDA, Calif. – A four-run second inning was too much for the Academy of Art baseball team to overcome, dropping game one of a non-conference series to Holy Names by a final of 5-1 on Friday.
Junior starting pitcher
Cannon Secrist was able to strand two Hawks (6-4) runners on base in the first inning, but couldn't keep them off the scoreboard in the second frame. A pair of errors in the inning by the Urban Knights (2-3) led to the runs, as the first would put runners on the corners before the second error on the following play brought home a run.
A fielder's choice would keep two runners aboard for HNU's Morgan McIntosh, who would send the first pitch from Secrist over the right field fence for a home run and a 4-0 lead. Secrist would settle down after the second, as he would retire the next six straight batters.
It wasn't until the seventh inning that ART U would get their first run, when they opened up the inning with a pair of doubles from junior outfielders
Ty Conrad and
Noah Daubin, putting runners at second and third with no outs. The following batter was junior designated hitter
Austin LaBarber, who collected his first RBI in an Urban Knights uniform when he reached on a throwing error. Still with two on and no outs, the rally would fall short after two straight batters' interferences before a fly out to end the inning.
It didn't take long for Holy Names to answer, as they got the run back in the top of the eighth after a walk and two straight singles, with Christopher Gann responsible for driving the run in on an 0-2 pitch.
It was another two-hit day for sophomore catcher
Ryan Gamboa, his fourth game with at least two hits so far this season, as he finished 2-for-4 at the plate. Senior shortstop
Justin Summers also collected two hits by going 2-for-3 with a walk, and Conrad got his first hit and scored his first run in his ART U career.
Leading the way for the Hawks offensively was Dominic Masciel, going 3-for-5 at the dish while McIntosh was 2-for-5 with a run scored and three RBIs due to the home run. Nariki Fujimura also collected two hits, ending his day 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Secrist was tagged with the loss, recording a quality start in the process by allowing only one earned run on 10 hits over eight innings pitched. Jacob Casson took the win for the Hawks, giving up one run on seven hits with three strikeouts over seven innings.
The four-part series continues tomorrow with game two from Laney College at 1 p.m.
