Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Oakland, CA -- Saturday's doubleheader between the Academy of Art University and the Central Washington University baseball teams were at both ends of the spectrum for both sides.  In the opener, the Urban Knights had trouble handling the ball making six errors en route to a 6-2 loss. But in the second game, after a shaky first-inning, they got into a groove and scored in four straight innings, making no errors and putting up a strong relief effort in an 8-6 victory. 

"We saw in the second game that if you throw strikes, you put yourself in good position to win," said head coach Brian Guinn. "These guys are realizing that the even the best hitters get themselves out 70 percent of the time, so they just have to get the ball across the plate."

After yesterday's 11-0 loss, the Knights were looking for a strong pitching effort and got just that out of starter Nate Gercken (1-1). He sent the first six batters down in order while the Knights jumped on the board after back-to-back doubles from Maclane Brady and Jordan Thomas to give ART U a 1-0 lead off of Skye Adams (1-1). The next inning however, Central Washington got a double followed by an error to set up two on with one out. Cory Welch singled, and then on another error another run came in and the 2-1 lead belonged to the Wildcats.

Both pitchers settled down until the Knights put together another rally in their half of the sixth inning. After shutting down a push by CWU in the top of the inning, Joseph Marchini had a bunt single up the first base line. He went to second on a balk, and Ryan Ramirez singled up the middle to bring him in and tie the game at 2-2.

But that's when the Knights started to have trouble holding on to the ball. An error by Chucky Cavestany on a dropped third strike led to two runs in the seventh, and another error in the eighth by Brandon Poulson allowed Kasey Bielec to reach on a bunt attempt, which led to another run. In the ninth, Daniel Gutierrez misplayed a ball in left field and then Dante Redhead had an error later in the inning that pulled the first baseman off the bag and the Wildcats were up 6-2.

Just like yesterday, however, the Knights continued to battle until the end. With two outs, Thomas singled, and went to second on a wild pitch. Daniel Robertson walked, and Greg Ivory walked as well to load the bases, but Brackenridge flied out deep to center to end the game, and the Knights fell.

Ramirez and Thomas each had two hits for the Knights, who had eight total hits and also drew three walks, but left eight on base. Poulson pitched the final two innings and gave up a single run while striking out three. Gercken ended the game with 6.2 innings pitched and seven strikeouts, giving up four total runs on but only two earned.


Things didn't look too much better when the second game started, as the Wildcats got two singles and a sac bunt to put runners at the corners for Kasey Bielec, who launched his second home run of the series to give CWU a quick lead off of ART U starter Nick Boyett. After a walk, a single, an error, and another walk, Boyett was lifted with the bases loaded and only one out. Nick Giotta (1-0) and after he walked the first batter, he induced a double play to finally finish the inning with the Urban Knights down 5-0 before even having a chance to bat.

Not to be outdone, ART U started off their day with an infield single from Brackenridge. After a soft groundout, Brackenridge stole third and would score on a single by Redhead. Daniel Skinner followed with a single on the first pitch, and Thomas singled in another run to cut the lead to 5-2.

After Giotta set the Wildcats down in order in the second, the Knights went to work again, with Brackenridge starting the rally with a two-out triple. Marchini singled him in, forcing out CWU starter Davis Engel and bringing in Jeffrey Larabee. Larabee would walk Ramirez and Redhead to load the bases, and then after a long eight-pitch battle, Skinner drew a walk to drive in a run and make it 5-4.

Central Washington got two hits and had runners at second and third in the third inning before Giotta stymied them again, getting Joe Castro to pop out to end the threat. And for the third straight inning, ART U rallied. Kevin Decker singled up the middle and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. He went to third on a passed ball, and Greg Ivory singled just over the outstretched glove of the second baseman to bring Decker in from third. Brackenridge followed with his third straight hit, this time a double down the left field line, and the Knights had a 6-5 lead.

The Urban Knights went to the bullpen again, bringing in Yoshi Uemura, but the lefty struggled with his command, walking two, before freshman Josh Lopez relieved him. Lopez gave up a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly, with the run charged to Uemura, but limited the damage to the one as the game was tied at 6-6. The fourth inning meant the fourth rally for the Knights, as Redhead doubled to lead off. Three straight singles by Skinner, Thomas, and Decker scored two more runs, and Academy of Art re-took the lead at 8-6.

Lopez then closed the book on the Wildcats for two innings, hitting Kyle Baumgartner but not allowing any other baserunners in the fifth or the sixth, and when closer Maclane Brady came in, the Knights still held their lead. Brady walked the first batter, but got a key 6-4-3 double play ball that cleared the bases. Facing Baumgartner with the win in sight, Brady induced a soft grounder to Brackenridge at second and picked up his first save of the year. 

Brackenridge ended up only a homer short of the cycle, getting three hits and scoring a pair of runs. Redhead, Skinner, Thomas, and Decker each had two hits, while Lopez had three innings of shutout ball in relief to pick up the win. Larabee took the loss for Central Washington.

The two teams will play in the series finale tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM.