Jordan Kurokawa tossed a six-hitter to lead the University of Hawaii at Hilo to a 5-1 win over Academy of Art University and split of a baseball doubleheader on Friday.
The Pacific West Conference twinbill was played in San Francisco. In the opener, the Urban Knights beat the Vulcans 7-5.
UH-Hilo improved to 9-12 and 7-7 in the PacWest. The Urban Knights dropped to 6-16 and 2-8, respectively.
The teams play another doubleheader today, starting at 9 a.m., to close their four-game series.
Kurokawa, a sophomore right-hander out of Maryknoll High School on Oahu, pitched all nine innings to pick up the win. Kurokawa (2-2) scattered six hits and gave up a solo run in the ninth inning. He struck out six and didn’t walk a batter.
“Jordan was the whole story, he dominated on the mound,” UH-Hilo head coach Kallen Miyataki said. “AAU can hit the ball. In the first game, we made some mistakes and got behind.
“But in Game 2, Jordan held AAU down and we came up with some timely hits.”
AAU starter Nick Giotta (0-1) was tagged with the loss. He went five innings, allowing five hits and two runs.
Samuel King and Austin Cusack each had two hits and a run batted in to lead the Vulcans’ 10-hit attack. Ryan Fukunaga added a double and an RBI while Jonathan James had a hit and an RBI for the visitors.
David Skinner was the lone AAU batter to pair hits and he drove in the run in the ninth.
In Game 1, the Urban Knights jumped to a 6-1 lead after three innings and held on to beat the Vulcans.
Lyle Brackenridge drove in three runs with a triple to lead AAU. Daniel Gutierrez added three hits in the host’s 12-hit attack.
James led UH-Hilo with two and two RBIs.
Urban Knights starter Nicholas Boyett (2-1) went six innings and earned the win. He allowed five hits and two runs.
UH-Hilo starter Jeremy Dela Cruz (3-2) took the loss. He pitched two innings, giving up five hits and six runs.
Following today’s twinbill with AAU, the Vulcans play Holy Names University in PacWest doubleheaders at noon Tuesday and Wednesday in Oakland, Calif.
At San Francisco
Game 1
UH-Hilo 010 100 300 — 5 8 1
AAU 042 010 00x — 7 12 2
Game 2
UH-Hilo 010 101 110 — 5 10 1
AAU 000 000 001 — 1 6 1