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Box Score 2
BRISBANE, Calif. – The Urban Knights pushed their win streak to six games on Tuesday, sweeping BYU-Hawaii 10-2 in five innings and 13-12 in extras with a great deal of offense. Game one was close until a six-run fourth pushed Academy of Art over the top, triggering the run-rule. There was only one inning in game two that did not see ART U put up runs and ultimately it was a walkoff single by sophomore outfielder Hallie Curtis that sent the Knights home with a victory. Game two was significant historically as senior infielder Kamyle Glover tied the program's single-game record with five runs batted in and the team as a whole set a new walks record with 12 free passes earned.
GAME ONEThough the final score would be lopsided, it was the Seasiders who scored first, getting a run-scoring single and an error to go up 2-0 in the first inning. Academy of Art came right back, however, with back-to-back solo home runs from senior infielder
Taylor Thurman and junior catcher
Elise Oldham.
After freshman
Brenna Mitchell (18-11) struck out to and exited a jam in the second, ART U would break the tie with a pair of runs in the third. Oldham delivered a sacrifice fly with two runners in scoring position and sophomore outfielder
Jessica West followed up with a RBI double to make it 4-2 Knights.
The bottom of the fourth saw Academy of Art do something it has been doing all season: rally bigtime. Starting with a single by graduate student catcher
Nirana Singh, it was Curtis who doubled in the first of what would be six runs in the inning. Glover plated two with her double, West drove in one with a fielder's choice, and freshman infielder
Samantha Klune added two more with a single through the right side.
Mitchell ended up striking out the side in the fifth and an eight-run lead through five innings meant ART U was named the victor. The PacWest Pitcher of the Week earned the win with one earned run allowed on five hits (all singles), two walks, and seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.
GAME TWOEager to redeem themselves after the opener, BYU-Hawaii rallied for five runs in the first inning after three walks, a two-run double, and numerous productive outs. The home half of the first was highlighted by the first career home run from Glover, a solo shot to right, as Academy of Art got one run back.
BYUH upped its lead to 9-1 through two innings, forcing ART U to go to its third pitcher of the game, Mitchell, in that frame. On the other side of the run-rule possibility, the Knights united and began their comeback in the third. Walks to senior outfielder
Haily MacDonald and Glover set up Thurman's two-run double the both Oldham and Klune hit RBI doubles to make it 9-5 Seasiders.
Resilient on their home field, Academy of Art went back to work shortening the advantage in the fourth. Leadoff walks by senior infielder
Jasmine Dickenson and Curtis eventually loaded the bases for a Glover sacrifice fly as well as a two-run double by Oldham. That brought the Knights to within one, 9-8.
Mitchell's three-up, three-down fifth gave way to yet another ART U rally in the bottom half, initiated by a fielding error and another walk for MacDonald. This time Glover came through once again, doubling over the centerfielder's glove to score two and give her squad a 10-9 lead. BYU-Hawaii threatened the Knights' momentum with a two-run homer from Liz Talataina in the sixth as part of a three-run push to go back ahead 12-10.
Klune smashed her fourth home run of the year, a solo shot, out of the ballpark in the home half, inching her team to within one run as the seventh inning approached. After Mitchell struck out two while emerging from a jam unscathed, the Knights tied the game 12-12 on another sacrifice fly by Glover. Though the possibility to end the game was presented after Thurman walked, a flyout meant extra innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, ART U continued to exercise patience at the plate and started with a pair of walks. A fielding error and an out later, the bases were loaded for Curtis who hit a bloop single to right on the eighth pitch of her at-bat, bringing in the winning run for the 13-12 walkoff.
Once again above .500 in conference play, ART U rises to 24-24 overall and 14-12 in PacWest. Glover's five RBIs in game two (part of seven in a 4-for-4 day) put her into elite company with alum Genna Allen and current assistant coach Alana Aweau as the only Urban Knights to drive in five in a single game. She added her first career home run, two doubles, and a stolen base on the day. With another sacrifice hit on the day, she now needs just four more to set a new program record.
Numerous other Knights made major offensive contributions including Oldham who went 3-for-5 with five RBIs, a home run, and two doubles on the day. Klune drove in four as part of a 3-for-7 performance that featured a home run and a double. Also homering was Thurman who finished the day 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a double as well. West drove in two in the opener and was one of four players to walk twice in game two as ART U topped its previous team walks record (10) with 12 in the finale.
After scoring five times on Tuesday, MacDonald now needs just five more runs to set the program's new career record and her next steal will give her the career record as she is now tied with
Elyse Cordova (57).
Mitchell picked up the game two victory after throwing 6.2 innings with three runs allowed on seven hits and six strikeouts. She will now tie Sierrah Garcia for the most single-season wins with her next victory.
Now 8-26 on the year and 4-20 in conference play, BYU-Hawaii was led by Talataina's five RBIs in game two and her 5-for-7 performance on the day. Each of the four BYUH pitchers the Seasiders went to allowed at least two runs and two walks apiece in the doubleheader.
Academy of Art returns to Mission Blue Field to face BYU-Hawaii once again tomorrow in a doubleheader starting at 12:00 p.m.
