The University of Hawaii at Hilo baseball team split a doubleheader with Academy of Art University on Saturday.
The University of Hawaii at Hilo baseball team split a doubleheader with Academy of Art University on Saturday.
The Vulcans prevailed in the opener 5-4 before the Urban Knights rallied to win the second game 4-3 in eight innings.
The Pacific West Conference twinbill was played at Laney College in Oakland, Calif.
The Vulcans are 10-13 and 8-8 in the PacWest; the Urban Knights, 7-17 and 3-9, respectively.
“It was a good series,” UH-Hilo head coach Kallen Miyataki said. “Considering we had some injuries and had to move our defense around, I’m happy with how we played. We’re kind of beaten-up, but the team is playing well together.”
In Game 1, Jordyn Ah Chong, a junior right-hander out of Mililani High School on Oahu, pitched five innings, scattering seven hits and allowing four runs. Ah Chong (1-2) got the win while striking out one and not walking a batter.
Sheldon Shishido took over for Ah Chong in the sixth and went 3 1/3 innings. He gave up four hits and didn’t allow a run. Closer Michael Slifer, a junior right-hander from Pleasanton, Calif., came on to get the final two outs and recorded the save.
AAU starter Nate Gercken (1-6) hurled 6 2/3 innings and was tagged with the defeat. He gave up six hits and five runs to go along with six strikeouts and three walks.
Byron Freitas, a freshman infielder from Kauai, led the Vulcans’ seven-hit attack, going 2 for 5 with a double and two runs batted in. Austin Cusack and Jonathan James each had a hit and an RBI.
Shortstop Lyle Brackenridge went 4 for 5 and had two RBIs to lead the Urban Knight’s 11-hit attack. Kevin Decker was the only other AAU batter to get at least two hits, going 2 for 4.
In Game 2, Maclane Brady drilled an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give AAU the win.
Brady and Joseph Marchini each had two hits for the hosts and Daniel Robertson had a double and three RBIs.
Harrison Guiol led the Vulcans with three hits and an RBI. Edison Sakata (1 RBI) and Keenan Nishioka each added two hits.
AAU reliver Aaron Garabedian (2-4) got the win, going the final 2 1/3 innings.
Seamus Yoneshige started for UH-Hilo and pitched six innings. He gave up six hits and three runs to go along with eight strikeouts and two walks. Slifer (0-2) took the loss, hurling the final 1 1/3 innings.
“The second game was a hard loss,” Miyataki said. “But our kids battled back and had a chance.”
Game 1
UH-Hilo 003 020 000 — 5 7 4
AAU 210 001 000 — 4 11 3
Game 2
UH-Hilo 000 300 00 — 3 9 1
AAU 030 000 01 — 4 8 1
SOFTBALL
Dixie State sweeps
The host Red Storm blanked the Vulcans 8-0 in the series opener and 8-7 in the second game of a twinbill Saturday in St. George, Utah.
The teams play another PacWest doubleheader today to close the four-game series.
Dixie State improved to 25-8 and 13-5 in the PacWest. The Vulcans dipped to 15-11, 10-7, respectively.
“Dixie State did a lot of things well today and we didn’t do things as well,” UH-Hilo head coach Jaime Wallin said. “Dixie State is a good team and you can’t make too many mistakes against them. (Today), we’ll have to come out and play every pitch, every play over 14 innings to have a chance to beat them.
“We fought back in Game 2 today, but just couldn’t get over the hump. Hopefully we’ll come out (today) and play aggressive and with a lot of confidence.”
In Game 1, Aryn Feickert, a junior right-hander, fired a three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts to dominate UH-Hilo in the six-inning contest. Feickert (12-6) earned the win while walking three.
UH-Hilo starter Ashley Nelson (8-5) pitched four innings and took the loss. She allowed eight hits and five runs. Reliever Danielle Wilson hurled the final 1 2/3 innings, giving up four hits and three runs.
Autumn Woodfall went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs to lead the Red Storm’s 12-hit attack. Nicole Chavez, Courtney Hine and Marla Reiter each added two hits.
No one paired hits for the Vulcans.
In Game 2, the Vulcans scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the contest at 7-7 before the Red Storm plated a run in the bottom of the inning to win it.
Chavez, Hine and Bailee Freeland each had three hits for Dixie State to lead its 14-hit attack. Chavez also had a homer and Freeland drove in two runs.
Emily Greene led UH-Hilo’s 12-hit attack with three hits, including a double, and had two RBIs. Rebecca Lee, Kristina Victa and Jillian Martinez had two hits apiece.
Feickert started for the Red Storm and pitched 3 1/3 innings before Michelle Duncan (6-1) finished and got the win. Hannah Peterson started for the Vulcans and gave up three hits and five runs in the first inning. Nelson (8-6) hurled the rest of the way and took the loss.
Game 1
UH-Hilo 000 000 — 0 3 1
DSU 202 112 — 8 12 1
Game 2
UH-Hilo 000 500 2 — 7 12 2
DSU 500 002 1 — 8 14 2