HONOLULU – Despite entering the ninth inning tied 2-2, Academy of Art (9-13, 5-4 PacWest) pulled through and defeated Hawaii Pacific (11-12, 1-10 PacWest), riding the backs of impressive starting pitching and consistent offense.
 
ART U was off to a quick start in the first inning, plating their first run and taking an early lead. Junior designated hitter Izac Bauer continued to stay hot and pushed his hitting streak to eight games when he delivered a two-out single down the right field line to drive in junior outfielder Alex Fernandez.
 
Now with a 1-0 lead, senior right hander Brett Bovee took to the mound for his sixth start of the season. The Las Vegas native was nearly flawless for next six innings, allowing no runs, giving up two base hits, walking two batters, and held a 2-0 lead after the Knights scored again in the fourth. However, his fortunes quickly changed in the seventh inning: the Sharks' leadoff man reached first by way of an error and quickly scored as the following batter doubled to left-center. HPU's next at-bat also produced a run with a single to left to make it a 2-2 ballgame.
 
ART U almost retook the lead in the top of the eighth after junior catcher Marciano Reichel reached to lead off the inning. After being sacrificed to second base, junior outfielder Jackson Murphy singled to right field to put Knights on first and third with just one out. However, the next two batters were unable to come through with a clutch run batted in and the score remained tied at two runs apiece.
 
With one out and a runner on second, senior lefty Jacob Green was called upon to replace Bovee, slamming the door shut on the Sharks' opportunity, striking out the first batter looking and inducing a two-pitch flyout to centerfield.
 
Now heading into the ninth, Academy of Art again put their leadoff man aboard as Fernandez singled to left. After moving to second on a sacrifice bunt, Bauer came up to bat with two outs. Already 2-for-4 to that point, the Seattle native looked to notch his third hit and put ART U ahead. Although he did record the run batted in, his ball hit to the third baseman was misplayed and allowed Fernandez to score to go-ahead run.
 
Now leading 3-2, Green returned to the mound in line for his second win of the season. After hitting the first batter, HPU put down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to second. At that point, junior right hander Sal Johnson relieved Green and sealed the deal two batters later. Johnson forced the Sharks' William Leskovec to line out to junior shortstop Taylor Martin who quickly threw to second to double up the runner and end the game. With the final out, the Hollywood, Calif. native recorded his third save of the season (tied for the third-most in the PacWest).
 
As a team, the Urban Knights collected 12 hits, tying their season-high which was also recorded on February 3 against Cal State East Bay in their second game of the season. Murphy led ART U with a season-high three hits and a run batted in, marking his second-consecutive multi-hit game. Reichel went 2-for-4 and Bauer went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Bauer's numbers have been eye-popping as of late, batting .519 (14-for-27) during his eight-game streak and now touts a team-leading, .352 overall batting average. The Multimedia Communications major has recorded a multi-hit game in four out of his previous five games and has tallied one or more RBI in seven out of his last eight games (and holds a team-high 13 on the year). Fernandez was valuable at the top of the lineup, going 1-for-4, but reached base twice and scored both times.
 
The Urban Knights will continue the series on Saturday when the two teams convene at Hans L'Orange Park at 6:00 p.m. HT.