OAKLAND, Calif. – Academy of Art baseball would have plenty of chances in the opening battle of a four-game non-conference series against Holy Names, posting double-digit hits for the second time in as many games, but was unable to capitalize on their opportunities as HNU would go on to take game one by an 8-2 final. 

The game would start with a free pass for the Hawks (6-4) when the leadoff batter was plunked on an 0-2 count, but the Urban Knights (2-6) wiped it away with one pitch when freshman lefty Brian Kraft induced a groundball double play, ultimately turning into a 1-2-3 inning. Offense would get to work quickly for Academy of Art, as the Knights put runners in scoring position during each of the first three frames, but all five runners to reach would be stranded on base.

After being held in check for the first few innings, the Holy Names bats came to life with a three-run top of the fourth on the strength of four hits, starting with a leadoff double from Esai Santos to put him into scoring position for an RBI single the very next at-bat from Dominic Masciel. 

One more HNU run would be added on an RBI single in the top of the fifth to increase the Hawks' lead to 4-0 before ART U could respond, as graduate student outfielder Travis Turney laced a single down the right field line to drive in junior outfielder Charles Morgan, who had opened the home half of the fifth with a single into center. Though ART U would load the bases the following inning in the bottom of the sixth, only one would score on a sacrifice fly into center from Morgan, his first RBI of the afternoon. 

That deficit would not last long, as Holy Names would tack on three runs in a big way when Tyler Georgeson pulled a 1-1 pitch down the left field line for a three-run homer to push the lead back to 8-3. 

Three straight hits from Academy of Art would have the Knights thinking comeback, but the only run of the eighth inning would be that of junior outfielder Hayato Niki coming across the plate on an RBI double from Morgan, his third hit of the day. The duo would combine for a total of seven hits with finishing perfect at the dish, as Niki ended 4-for-4 with a run scored while Morgan was 3-for-3 with a run scored and pair of RBIs from the leadoff position. Four other Urban Knights would collect hits at the dish, with Turney tops among them ending 2-for-5 with an RBI as he has now hit safely in five consecutive games (8-for-19 over that span). 

Tagged with the loss was Kraft, who drops to 0-3 on the season but ended the game with a season-best nine strikeouts, the most by an ART U pitcher in a game this season. Meanwhile, HNU starter Noah Barros improved to 2-0 after he allowed just a pair of earned runs in 6.0 innings pitched. 

Game two of the series between ART U and HNU will get underway tomorrow from Laney College with first pitch set for 6 p.m.