San Francisco, Calif. -- The Urban Knights wrapped up their last two games of the four game series this afternoon versus the visiting University of Hawaii-Hilo Vulcans. While the Urban Knights game play was a turn-around tremendously from yesterday, it was the late hitting surges for the Vulcans that catapulted them past AAU in both games, finishing game one 9-5 and game two 21-14.

Box Score Game #1

On the mound for AAU was Danny Couser (0-2) who started the game off strong, giving up just two hits in the first five innings and keeping the Vulcans scoreless until the fifth.

Offensively everything seemed to click for the Urban Knights at the start of the first game. They jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning. In the first at-bat, of the second Darnell Quinney was walked bringing Zach Mexicano up to bat. A double to left center field by Mexicano brought Quinney home, and the score to 1-0. Another walk, this time for Ryan Worley, and a single by Brandon Kistler would bring Mexicano across homeplate extending the Urban Knight lead, 2-0. Hernandez singled to right field and brought Worley home next. Giving the Knights a 3-0 lead going into the third inning.

The third and fourth innings would find the Urban Knights scoring off of errors by the Vulcans. In the third, Mexicano hit a single placing him on first. An error would put Worley on base and advance Mexicano. Two wild pitches in a row brought Mexicano home and the Urban Knights advantage to 4-0. AAU would extend their lead by one more in the fourth inning, before the Vulcans would begin to make their run. Hernandez would reach first on an error by the Vulcan's third baseman, and then would then steal second. A Chris Vargas single brought Hernandez home, capping their score at 5-0.

The next inning is where the thread started to unravel for the Knights, Shane Kessel who came in for Cade Uyetake hit a solo home run and finally got UHH on the board.

AAU was retired in the fifth inning with just one hit, and bring the Vulcans back to the plate. The Vulcans had five hits and scored three runs in the sixth inning to bring the score to 5-4 in favor of the Urban Knights with one inning left to play.

Another scoreless inning for AAU opened the door for UHH and in the seventh and final inning, UHH tied and took the lead over the Urban Knights scoring five runs to put them up 9-5.

In one last attempt to catch the Vulcans, AAU was able to get Mexicano on base, but a pop fly to left field, a ground out to third base, and a ground out to shortstop ended the game with the Vulcans emerging victorious.

Couser pitched all seven innings, faced 38 batters, allowed 12 hits and gave up nine runs while throwing five strikeouts. Mexicano had three hits on the game and two runs. He, along with Hernandez, Vargas, and Kistler, each notched an RBI.


Box Score Game #2

Game two was filled with more ups and downs for AAU as they lost 21-14 despite hitting four home runs and tallying 14 runs in the first six innings. The loss keeps the Urban Knights winless with just 14 more games to go in the season.

The Vulcans struck first in game two scoring the first six runs within the first three innings. 

The Urban Knights were in the zone as they took the plate at the bottom of the third inning. Darnell Quinney would start the drive off with a single, followed directly by a Camryn Hernandez bunt single. A walk by Chris Vargas would then load the bases. A Florentino Ubungen double scored Hernandez and Quinney. Then suddenly a three run homer by Mike Gutierrez would bring the Urban Knights to within one as the Knights were down 6-5 when the inning concluded.

Hilo would add one more run to its score during the fourth inning, but the Urban Knights would answer right back by scoring seven. AAU's first three batters hit 3-for-3, both Worley and Van Hanson singled and set the stage for a Quinney three run homer which put the Knights up 8-6 with one out on the board. Then Vargas and Ubungen both hit back-to-back solo home runs to put the Urban Knights up by four. The Urban Knights would go on to score two more runs in the inning, Martin Layton-Santos and Mexicano would both cross home plate with the help of wild pitches and an RBI single by Hanson. The fourth inning would end with the Urban Knights up 12-7.

Although Hilo scored six runs in the sixth, AAU's chances of picking up their first win of the season seemed almost imminent as they went into the seventh and final inning up by one. However, the seventh inning proved to be quite a struggle for the Urban Knights pitching staff as they gave up eight runs and put themselves out of reach of the victory, losing the fourth and final game of the series by a score of 21-14.

The Urban Knights hit four home runs during the game, Vargas had two solo home runs, Ubungen launched one solo shot, and Quinney hit a three-run homer. Alex Rosenthal would pitch five innings for AAU, facing 32 batters giving up 12 hits and 11 runs. Relief pitcher Mexicano saw 14 batters, gave up eight runs and Brandon Kistler faced four batters, giving up three hits and two runs.

AAU will return to the field March 31 when they take on Cal State Monterey Bay again in Seaside, Calif. First pitch is set for 2:30 PM.