OAKLAND, Calif. – It was a triumphant way to end a Pacific West Conference series for Academy of Art baseball in Thursday's doubleheader against UH Hilo, walking off winners 4-3 in game one thanks to a two-RBI single from senior outfielder Hayato Niki before solid pitching led the way in a 4-2 game two victory, both games finishing in seven innings. 

"Today was a great day to be an Urban Knight," said ART U Head Coach Dan McDermott. "We benefited from two great starting pitching performances which allowed us to put just enough pressure on to score some runs. There were a lot of heroes today who executed little things that made the difference between winning and losing."

On a day that started with sophomore left-hander Brian Kraft becoming the first Knight to ever earn a NCBWA weekly honor, the Urban Knights (14-20, 7-13 PacWest) then showed out on the field by earning a closely fought pair of victories against the Vulcans (19-13, 10-11 PacWest), who are still receiving votes to be ranked nationally. Despite holding a 2-1 lead moving into the sixth inning of game one, ART U found themselves trailing when taking their last two trips to the plate. Down to the final out, Niki was able to come through in the clutch with his base knock to secure the 4-3 win. Moving into the second contest, pitching was the highlight as Kraft was back at work by tossing another quality start while graduate student righty Cannon Secrist appeared in relief to secure his first save of the season.

"Both Devan Quesada and Brian Kraft were outstanding today as they held down a very, very good UH Hilo team by scattering hits and minimizing their opportunities," McDermott said. "Larry Fonseca hustling home with the winning run in game one; Michael Wiborn in game two making a heads up play by covering home and preventing the tying run from scoring, then an inning later hitting a two-run double down the right field line to drive in insurance runs; Travis Turney with several outstanding catches in left field; Tony Diaz returning to the leadoff spot and coming up with six quality at-bats." 

GAME ONE – ART U 4, HILO 3 (7 INNINGS)
Both teams put a runner on with a hit in the first but left them stranded, which allowed the Vulcans to score the game's first run just three batters into the second frame after Blake Tweedt led off with a double and crossed the plate two batters later on a single from Vance Oshiro. Hilo would continue to put runners on, but were unable to get to ART U junior right-hander Devan Quesada until later in the contest. 

Quesada continued to battle through the middle innings and got out of a jam in the fourth, which was all started when he made a brilliant diving catch on a bunt that was popped up in front of home plate. Runners would still reach the corners for the Vulcans in the frame, but Quesada was able to induce a flyout to get out of the damage without a run. 

That set up the Knights in the home half of the fourth, who rode that momentum to the dish and manufactured a pair of runs to take the lead. Niki walked to lead off the inning and promptly recorded two steals by taking second and third, scoring immediately after Turney prevailed in a seven-pitch at-bat with a single center field. Turney then stole the playbook from Niki, as he swiped both second and third base to move himself just 90 feet away from scoring the go-ahead run, which he did two batters later on a two-out RBI single from graduate student outfielder Landon Levine. 

Hilo provided little resistance in the fifth by going down in order, but loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the sixth against Quesada, ultimately driving two home on a double to left center from Oshiro. A Turney bunt single and error on a failed pick off once again saw him occupy third base, but he was left stranded after a groundout. 

Returning to the mound for the seventh, Quesada powered right through the three Vulcans hitters with a pair of groundouts and a flyout, which again gave the Knights momentum heading into the bottom of the frame. Down but not out, Academy of Art began the inning with a single from junior first baseman Ryne Lina, who then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Fonseca would later reach with a one-out walk, just before a ground ball moved both he and Lina into scoring position with two away.

On the first pitch he saw, Niki sent a base hit back up the middle that was ultimately kept in the infield, but the heads up base running from Fonseca saw him turn the corner and head home as the throw went towards first base, ultimately scoring the game's winning run as the Knights celebrated with Niki near first base. 

Thanks to his perseverance and his quality start, Quesada picked up his team-leading fourth win of the season (4-2) after he allowed just the three earned runs on eight hits over a 7.0 inning complete game, striking out two and walking one. Taking the loss was Hilo closer Jake Liberta, as he was unable to convert his ninth save of the year and as he allowed two earned runs on two his in just 0.2 innings pitched. 

Both Turney and Lina produced multiple hit games, with Turney going 2-for-3 while driving in one, scoring once, and swiping two bags, while Lina ended his game 2-for-3. Niki produced while going 1-for-3, scoring once in addition to his two game-winning RBI. It also extended his hitting streak to 11 games, which is the longest such streak by an Urban Knight this season. Levine was also 1-for-3 while driving in his 27th RBI of the season, which is tied for the team lead and sixth-most in an ART U season along with redshirt junior catcher Liam Rizzo. 

GAME TWO – ART U 4, HILO 2 (7 INNINGS)
A pair of walks and a fielder's choice with no out recorded loaded the bases with one out, but ART U starter Kraft induced a ground ball double play to get out of the inning without a run allowed. After being retired in order, Academy of Art allowed a pair of one-out singles but saw Kraft to escape another jam in the top of the second with his second induced groundball double play to end the inning. 

That set the stage for ART U to strike first whe n they put a pair of runners on when Rizzo singled and Levine was hit by a pitch, with sophomore second baseman Chris Fung driving both home on his towering double into the left center gap that landed just over the head of the Hilo left fielder. 

During the third Hilo was able to cut the lead in half, and started by putting the leadoff runner on after he was hit by a pitch. A stolen base moved the runner into scoring position, scoring just a batter later thanks to a single from Ryan Cho on the seventh pitch of his at-bat.

Each side had runners on during the fourth and fifth innings but failed to score, which included freshman first baseman Michael Wiborn's heads-up defensive play when he covered home plate on a ball that landed in the shallow infield to receive the throw and tag out an advancing runner in the fifth. ART U received a double in their half of the inning from sophomore outfielder Tony Diaz, but he would be left stranded at second. 

Following the momentum of a shutdown inning by Kraft in the top of the sixth, Academy of Art grew the lead in their trip to the plate, starting with a double into left from Rizzo and a single from Levine to put runners at the corners. Delivering in the clutch was Wiborn, as he drove home both runners thanks to his sharply-hit double down the right field line that made the game 4-1. 

Kraft would exit the game in the top of the sixth after he issued a walk to begin the inning, making way for Secrist who was making his second relief appearance of the year. Though he surrendered an immediate single and a pair of wild pitches that allowed a run to score, Secrist was ultimately able to secure the game by recording the final two outs via the punch out and a pop up. It was his first save of the season and second of his career, and was the seventh for ART U this season. Picking up the win was Kraft, his second in as many outings to improve his record to 2-2, allowing just two earned runs on six hits in 6.0+ innings pitched with three strikeouts. 

Both Diaz and Rizzo posted two-hit games in the second half of the day, as Diaz was 2-for-4 with a double while Rizzo was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Collecting the other two extra base hits were Wiborn and Fung, as Wiborn was 1-for-1 while Fung was 1-for-2 with both also driving in two runs. Also scoring twice while going 1-for-2 was Levine. Unfortunately, a pair of streaks came to an end in the second game, as Niki's hit streak stopped at 11 games while Turney's reached base safely streak that had reached 17 games after game one also saw its conclusion. 

"All in all, a satisfying day," McDermott said. "After a day off tomorrow, we will begin preparations on Saturday for our upcoming series against Hawaii Pacific. Playing 12 games over 12 days is an incredible treat for the squad."