PacWest logo

Baseball

Giotta Pitches His Way On To PacWest Weekly Honor Roll

PacWest Release

Phoenix, AZ – After a stellar outing on the mound in the Urban Knights' victory over Hawaii Pacific on Mar. 21, freshman right-handed pitcher Nick Giotta (1-3) has made this week's Pacific West Conference Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll. Giotta went 7.2 strong innings without allowing an earned run and striking out six to serve as Academy of Art University's counter to HPU in a pitcher's duel. The honor was announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, Mar. 28 for games contested on Mar. 21-27.

Nick Giotta
Up against a Sea Warriors squad that has batted nearly .300 this season, Giotta was ready to take care of business on the night of Mar. 21. He retired five of the first six batters he faced and though Hawaii Pacific scored a run in the second inning, the visitors did so in unearned fashion. That would turn out to be HPU's only run of the game as Giotta struck out the next batter and proceeded to retire 11 of the following 12 Sea Warriors who then stepped in to face him.

Backed by several strong plays by the Urban Knight defense behind him, Giotta registered four of his six strikeouts in the game over the second through eighth innings. Just one batter ever reached second base against Giotta and the freshman right-hander's outing was highlighted by a five-pitch fifth as well as a pair of batters fanned in the sixth.

“Nick threw strikes,” Head Coach Brian Guinn said. “He went seven and two thirds innings on the mound and he really was able to keep the ball down. He did what he had to do with getting key ground balls and fly balls. Overall, he did a good job."

Giotta would finish the game with a victory after teammate Brandon Kistler notched the save. In 7.2 innings, the freshman did not surrender an earned run and struck out six. Opposing batters did not even have an extra-base hit against Giotta, batting a meager .192 in his Mar. 21 start. The 0.00 ERA Giotta posted in his outing also impressively reduced his season ERA by nearly three runs.

Giotta collects his first PacWest Weekly Top 10 honor this season.