Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Photo Gallery (images by Meg Williams)

Oakland, CA -- There can be such a thing as too little too late, and the Urban Knights baseball team found that out on Thursday night in a tough doubleheader with visiting Grand Canyon where they did score four runs, but all with one out in the final inning of the second game. The Knights had the tying run in the on deck circle but lost the nightcap 9-4 after also dropping the first game to the Lopes by a score of 8-0.

The afternoon game began as a pitchers duel, as Zach Mexicano held the Lopes without a hit until the fifth inning. That was when P.J. Garcia drew a walk, and the Knights got in trouble with their fundamentals. Mexicano had Garcia picked off, but his throw to first went down the right field line and Garcia got to third. Then Johnathan Robbins, the speedy right-fielder for the Knights who has been solid in the outfield all year, mishandled a ball down the right-field line, and the Lopes got  1-0 lead without a hit. That first hit of the game did come two batters later, when Ernesto Ortiz singled on a high chopper off the plate to Mexicano that allowed Kyle Peterson to score, and GCU led 2-0 with only the one hit to their names.

"Mexicano continues to throw well, but if we don't execute behind him, he's not going to get the wins he deserves," said head coach Brian Guinn. "We've got to get back to the fundamentals. He took a no-hitter into the fifth inning against a good hitting team, and that's not easy."

Grand Canyon added four runs in a big inning in the seventh, but again had some help from the Knights, as Mexicano made his second error of the game when he took his eye off a bunt attempt. That and a throwing error by Kenny Rollins left Mexicano tagged with six runs on the day, but only one earned run as he lowered his ERA yet again with another solid start.

"The Zach from a couple of years ago might have lost it a little bit," said Guinn. "But he has matured in his time here into the anchor of this pitching staff, and he really handled the mistakes well today and didn't let it get to him."

The Knights were unable to get anything going against Lopes starter Brady Wager, who worked a complete game and only giving up two hits. He also walked three, but struck out nine. Wager also retired the last eleven batters he faced, as the final baserunner for the Knights was Zach Babitt, who reached via walk in the sixth inning only to be erased on a steal attempt.


Nate Gercken got the start in the second game, and he got into trouble early, as the Lopes got three hits in a row from Michael Pomeroy, Drew Mendoza, and P.J. Garcia to go up 1-0 after one. They added two more in the second, and eventually scored in every inning except the third. Gercken ended his day going only four innings and allowing 11 hits and five runs (four earned) while throwing 74 pitches.

Coltin White continued the Grand Canyon dominance of the Academy of Art offense, only allowing two hits and two walks in six innings, striking out ten Urban Knights on his way to picking up the victory. The Knights didn't get their first hit until the fourth inning. Already down 5-0, Zach Babitt tripled to right-center to lead off the inning, but the ART U was unable to move him up the 90 feet needed to get on the board, as Myles Babitt struck out swinging, and Niko Leite grounded back to the pitcher, hanging Zach out to dry in between third and home.

"We're just not doing that fundamental stuff," said Guinn. "Getting the guys home from third with less than two outs. Hitting the cutoff man. Staying down on the ball. Things that we should and have showed that we can do right. We practice it every day. We just have to get it out on the field."

The Knights have shown all year that they have the uncanny combination of being able to score when the other team has counted them out, mounting many offensive runs this year in the later innings. They didn't disappoint on Thursday night, putting together a seventh-inning rally against three different Grand Canyon pitchers, but the timing was again off. Down 9-0, Bryce Hutchings produced a bases-loaded single down the left field line that scored two runs, preventing the Knights from being shut-out in both games.

Myles Babitt then forced in a run with a walk, and Leite was hit in the hip to force in another, and all of a sudden the Urban Knights had the tying run on deck with the bases loaded and only one out. But Spencer Roland struck out on a high fastball, and then with James Singzon up, the Lopes took no chances and went to their closer, Mark Jarrett. Singzon got Jarrett to get the count to 3-1, but took strike two and then swung at a tough breaking ball on the outer half to end Academy of Art's threat at a thrilling 9-run comeback.

"We're playing good baseball in the late innings," said Guinn. "We just have to play that way the whole game. If we can do that for nine innings, we'll be fine."

The Knights and Lopes will play again on Friday at the same time, with game one starting at 4:00 PM. It's not too late to sign up for the Fan Bus!