ALAMEDA, Calif. – Academy of Art baseball showed grit in battling back from an early deficit in a solo non-conference clash against Holy Names, scoring seven runs between the third and fourth innings to trail by two, but the HNU bats stayed hot and pulled away late for a 19-7 win on Tuesday.
On an extremely windy day out at College of Alameda, the Hawks (7-3) hit the scoreboard in a big way during the home half of the first as they erupted for nine total runs, striking early for a big inning thanks to a combination of errors, walks and base knocks. In all, 15 batters came to the plate before the inning came to an end.
Following a quick second frame from both sides, the Urban Knights (3-6) started to climb their way back into the contest with a two-spot in the top of the third, scoring once on an error after graduate student outfielder
Travis Turney reached on a walk before advancing over to third and later scoring on a ground ball. There would be yet another unearned run later in the inning, as a passed ball allowed graduate student designated hitter
Peter Torres to scamper home and make the game 9-2.
One of the best innings this season for ART U came in to start the fourth, as Academy of Art scored five total times in the frame. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases as the lineup flipped over to Turney, and he promptly delivered a two-RBI single into center to double the ART U run production. After a quick out, graduate student outfielder
Landon Levine repeated the formula by lacing his single into center that drove in a pair. A walk and hit by pitch once again loaded the bases, with a balk scoring the fifth run of the inning to make the game 9-7 before the final out of the inning.
From that point it was all Holy Names, who scored in four of the five remaining innings including four-run frames in both the fifth and seventh, all the while keeping the Urban Knights' bats in check. Though Academy of Art recorded seven runs, it came on a total of five hits with none going for extra bases.
Posting the only multi-hit game of the night for Academy of Art was Levine, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI while extending a pair of impressive streaks. With his two hits, Levine has now hit safely in each of his past seven games, while he has notched at least one RBI in all nine games that he's played in (team-leading 14 RBI). Meanwhile Turney was 1-for-3 with both a pair of runs scored and driven in, and a pair of walks.
It turned out to be a bit of a bullpen game for ART U, but taking the loss was sophomore lefty
Brian Kraft, who lasted just 0.2 innings pitched and gave up eight runs (though the majority were unearned). Capturing the win was Eddie Curley, who was steady through a pair of innings tossed in relief while also punching out three.
Academy of Art will return to the diamond at the end of the week when they open a series against Simpson.
