ART U Tops Holy Names 9-2 to Open the Series

OAKLAND, Calif. – Playing in their first home game in over two weeks, Academy of Art looked to make a big statement in the series opener against Holy Names. They did just that, scoring in each of the first five innings en route to a 9-2 win over the Hawks.

Making his seventh start of the season, junior right-hander Angel Mora (4-0) was off to a quick start in the first inning, recording the first two outs in just five pitches. However, it only took four more pitches for HNU to plate their first run, coming off of a double and a single.

Trailing 1-0 as they came up to-bat for the first time in the game, the Urban Knights responded right away, loading the bases with just one out. Senior catcher Marciano Reichel worked things to a 3-2 count and then delivered ART U's first run of the game when he sent a sacrifice fly to center field. On the play, junior infielder Josh Carlin came in to score which sent senior infielder Brennan Mauchline to plate. Mauchline reached on a fielder's choice as the shortstop who fielded his ground ball decided to throw to third in an attempt to catch senior outfielder Jackson Murphy with the forceout. However, an error allowed everyone to reach safely, allowing senior outfielder Izac Bauer to receive an at-bat. The seventh ART U batter of the frame reached on the second Hawks error of the inning, allowing Murphy to score, and giving the Urban Knights a 2-1 lead.

Academy of Art never looked back after that, scoring two more runs in the second off of four hits and runs batted in from Reichel and senior outfielder Evan Ray. Then, after junior infielder Elijah Smith posted an RBI in the third, the Knights plated two more in both the fourth and fifth. The highlight of the fifth inning was a career-first home run by junior infielder Josh Carlin. Carlin sent the first pitch he saw over the right field fence, scoring junior outfielder Taj Dawson who had previously reached on a 6-pitch walk.

The lone run that Holy Names managed to respond with came in the third inning when two walks, an error, and a fielder's choice allowed the Hawks' Colton Combs to score (unearned).

Mora received the win and was effective through his 5.0 innings of work, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, two strikeouts, and four walks. Three other ART U pitchers combined to finish the remaining four innings and together, they allowed no runs, one walk, and just two hits while striking out a pair of HNU batters.

On the offensive-end, eight of the nine starters recorded one or more hits. Combined, ART U's 2-4 batters in the lineup did the most damage, batting .545 (6-for-11), while scoring six runs, collecting four RBI, and leaving just one runner on-base. Murphy reached base a total of four times in the contest, recording two walks and two singles.