GAME #24 & 25
ART U Urban Knights (3-20/3-13) vs. NNU Crusaders (17-7)
Friday, Mar. 25, 2011 at 4:00 PM MDT (3:00 PM PST)
Nampa, ID - Elmore Vail Field
Live Stats
Live Audio
GAMES #26 & 27
ART U Urban Knights (3-20/3-13) vs. NNU Crusaders (17-7)
Saturday, Mar. 26, 2011 at 12:00 PM MDT (11:00 AM PST)
Nampa, ID - Elmore Vail Field
Live Stats
Live Audio
Game Notes
NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUP PITS KNIGHTS AGAINST CRUSADERS
After several close battles and one thrilling victory against Hawaii Pacific this week, the Academy of Art University baseball team now heads to Idaho for a series with Northwest Nazarene, the #7 team in the West Region.
FIRST PITCH
The two-day series between ART U and NNU begins with a doubleheader on Friday, Mar. 25. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 4:00 PM MDT (3:00 PM PST). Then, on Saturday, Mar. 26, the teams have a second doubleheader starting at 12:00 PM MDT (11:00 AM PST). All games are scheduled to be held at Elmore Vail Field in Nampa, ID. Live Stats and live score updates on the Academy of Art University Athletics Twitter will be available for all games in this series.
KNIGHT WATCH
Junior infielder Zach Babitt, a PacWest Weekly Honor Roll recipient each of the past two weeks, has simply been on fire as of late. After going 4-for-4 in game one against HPU this past Sunday, Babitt now sports a .320 batting average along with 19 runs scored and 15 runs batted in. Senior Darnell Quinney also stayed hot in the HPU series and continues to pace the Knights in batting average (.347), RBIs (19), and doubles (9). ART U also had strong pitching performances from freshman righty Wade Broadstreet (0-3), junior lefty Zach Mexicano (2-4), and freshman righty Nick Giotta (1-3) this past week. Broadstreet is now among the team leaders in ERA (4.26), Mexicano has the most innings pitched (38.2) and the most strikeouts (22), and Giotta earned his first victory of the year with a season-high 7.2 innings pitched and six strikeouts in his last start.
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
For all the success Northwest Nazarene has had this season to compose its 17-7 record, many of the wins have come on the road. NNU, ranked #7 in the West Region on the most recent NCBWA Poll, began the year by winning 12 of its first 13 games which included five victories at Hawaii Pacific in late February. When the Crusaders opened up Great Northwest Atlantic Conference play, however, they sustained a 3-1 series defeat at the hands of Saint Martin's. Of the three Crusaders batting .300 and above, outfielder Logan Parker leads the squad with a .409 clip along with 26 runs scored. ART U will also have to watch out for outfielder Ty Windall who is a perfect 19 of 19 in stolen base attempts thus far. Right-hander J.T. Broderick has pitched the best so far of NNU's starting rotation. He is 4-1 while sporting a 3.61 ERA and 23 strikeouts.
URBAN KNIGHTS BATTLE SEA WARRIORS IN THE BAY AREA
Academy of Art University played host to PacWest rival Hawaii Pacific in five games this past week and the Knights picked up their third conference victory in the process. Day one's action featured two close contests in both of which ART U rallied late. Babitt's aforementioned 4-for-4 performance came in the series opener where Academy of Art scored four runs in the final two innings despite the 8-6 HPU victory in the end. Then, Mexicano offered a quality start in a game two pitcher's duel, but the Sea Warriors held on for a 3-1 win.
The Knights had Hawaii Pacific's number on day two when Giotta did not allow an earned run in 7.2 innings on the mound and at one point retired 12 of 13 consecutive batters he faced. Clutch hits off the bats of Quinney and sophomore infielder Stefen Henderson in the seventh as well as junior righty Brandon Kistler's first career save propelled ART U to its 2-1 victory.
The final day saw HPU prevail in both sides of a doubleheader, 10-1 and 9-0.
LOOKING AHEAD
At home for its next 12 games following the series with NNU, Academy of Art will start with a five-game stretch against Hawaii-Hilo on Mar. 30. The Knights' upcoming homestand will later feature pairings with Patten University and fellow PacWest opponent Grand Canyon.
