Box Score

Oakland, CA -- The Urban Knights played eight innings of almost flawless baseball, but amid the heavy rainfall that caused a delay in the eighth inning, their hold on the game against the University of Hawaii at Hilo slipped away and the Vulcans came away with a 4-2 win in the first of a four-game series. Nate Gercken held Hilo hitless for the first four innings, but was eventually saddled with the loss, and Niko Leite went 3-for-4 at the plate.

It was an old-fashioned pitchers duel, which a lot of Urban Knights fans have come to expect when Gercken takes the mound. The big righty had thrown three straight games giving up one earned run or less, and was taking a lot of momentum into his start against the Vulcans. That momentum carried right through to this game, as Gercken (0-7) didn't allow a hit for the first four innings, including a seven-pitch second inning that saw Hilo hit three quick ground balls. Jordan Murai was the only player to reach base, and he walked three times in the game.

"Nate has really come along," said head coach Brian Guinn. "He's spent a lot of time with the pitching coaches and he's starting to pitch. He's not a thrower anymore, he's a pitcher now, and I think that he's shown what he is capable of."

Hilo starter Jeremy Dela Cruz (2-3) was having an equally impressive day, retiring the Knights in order in the first and the second. But Academy of Art broke through in the third inning, starting with a walk by Bryce Hutchings. Wade Broadstreet beat out a bunt single, and then Zach Babitt reached on a fielder's choice with Hutchings going to third. That's when Myles Babitt, who was recently moved to the number-three spot in the order, ripped a first-pitch double to left center, scoring both runners and giving the Knights a 2-0 lead.

It wasn't until the fifth that the Vulcans got a hit, and that hit started the ball rolling. Jonathan James singled off the third base bag. John Abreu singled through the right side to make it two straight hits. Catcher Greg Cleary sacrificed them over to third, and then Keenan Kaluau grounded a ball to second to score the first run for Hilo. Murai drew his third walk, and then executed a double steal with Abreu to tie the game before designated hitter Steven Riddle lined out, but the game was knotted up at 2-2.

That remained the score until the ninth inning, when the clouds that loomed on the horizon moved in and the rain started to fall. The game looked like it would be going to extra time, with both pitchers poised and in position to keep pitching until the other let up. But James singled again to lead off the ninth, prompting Guinn to go to Stefen Henderson and ending Gercken's day in the final inning. Travis Stancil pinch-ran for James, and he advanced to second on a passed ball. Abreu popped up to shortstop, but Stancil advanced to third on a wild pitch with Cleary at the plate.

That's when the rain started to make a difference. With Cleary in the middle of an at-bat, in a 3-2 count, a torrent of rain started to drench the field, causing the umpires to send both teams to their dugouts. The delay lasted around 20 minutes, and the rain let up enough to bring both teams back out to finish the game. Cleary ended up walking, and then stole second. Henderson got Kaluau to strike out swinging, and then Murai lifted a fly ball to left field. Myles Babitt, who had put the Knights ahead in the third, got turned around as the ball twisted in the wind and eventually popped out of his glove, allowing both runs to score and giving Hilo a 4-2 lead.

The Knights had one last chance in the bottom of the ninth, and Babitt led off with a single to short. With two outs, Leite had a bunt single, his third hit of the day, and the Knights had the tying runner on base with the winning run at the plate. Kenny Rollins was stuck in a 2-2 count, fouling off three pitches before the umpire rung him up on an outside pitch to end the Knights chances.

"We played really good baseball today, and we've been playing some solid baseball for the last couple weeks," Guinn said. "Unfortunately today we just made one mistake that cost us."

These two teams will meet up Sunday in Oakland for a doubleheader, with the first game slated to start at 4:00 PM.