HILO, Hawaii – Concluding their 10-game Hawaii roadtrip, the Urban Knights traveled to the Big Island for a doubleheader against UH Hilo and wound up taking a pair of tough losses in shortened games. Though Academy of Art had a lead in the fourth inning of the opener, the Vulcans would erupt for nine runs in their fourth and fifth to win 11-3. Then, a five-run third helped UH Hilo establish an early margin in the second contest and won 8-0 in five innings.
GAME ONEART U struck first in the opener, using a hit leadoff batter to its advantage. After sophomore
Brenna Mitchell was bunted to second by freshman infielder
Juliana Lopez, freshman infielder
Brenna Youngquist drove in her teammate with a single down the right field line. The first of the game's three lead changes came in the second when a two-run homer by Danielle Pulido made it 2-1 Vulcans.
In the fourth, Academy of Art tied things up on a two-error play then senior outfielder
Andrea Gill delivered the go-ahead run with a single to right. The Knights' 3-2 advantage changed drastically when a grand slam came as part of a five-run fourth inning for UH Hilo. The Vulcans then added three more in the fifth to trigger the run-rule and win 11-3.
GAME TWOUH Hilo opened the second contest with a sacrifice fly in the first and threatened for more with the bases loaded but junior
Alexa Peters (0-6) got the groundout she needed to exit the jam. A Gill single came in the second as runners reached in each of ART U's five innings in game two, but on each occasion they were left stranded.
Two hits and an error in the second accounted for a 3-0 Vulcans lead before a five-run rally in the third marked a greater momentum shift. Following a brief rain delay in the fifth, UH Hilo would complete the two-game sweep, winning the second game 8-0.
The day's results put Academy of Art at 11-14-1 and 7-5 in conference. Youngquist and Gill each had runs batted in during game one, finishing 1-for-3 and 1-for-2 respectively. Peters took the loss in each game despite allowing just one earned run as the game two starter.
UH Hilo stays atop the PacWest standings now at 11-1 and 19-6 overall. Aquinaga finished the opening game 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs while Victoria Garcia was 2-for-3 with a RBI and three runs scored in the finale. Danielle Wilson (9-2) won the first contest with one run allowed in 5.0 innings pitched and Billie Derleth (9-4) was the game two winner after allowing no runs and two hits in 3.2 innings.
After more than a week in Hawaii, ART U returns home to host Notre Dame de Namur and Dominican on back-to-back days Mar. 25-26.
