WAIPAHU, Hawai'i — Hawai'i Pacific University dropped a PacWest Conference doubleheader to Acadmey of Art University to close the series between the schools on Saturday at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (12-14, 2-12) fell 5-3 in the first game to the Urban Knights (11-14, 7-5), then lost game two 12-7.
 
"The error bug got to us today," said HPU head coach Garett Yukumoto. "We just need to keep positive and grind it out."
 
HPU suffered three errors in the final two innings of game one, leading to three runs in the Sharks 5-3 loss. Two errors in the second inning of game two led to six unearned runs in the frame as HPU fell 12-7. In all the Sharks committed nine errors in the two games.
 
Offensively, junior infielder Mitchell Bumann of Corona, Calif./Temescal Canyon, led the way for the Sharks going 5-for-7 with two RBI and four runs scored. Senior outfielder Austin Inabata of Kapolei, Hawai'i/Moanalua went 3-for-4 in the second game with three RBI. Junior infielder Wyatt Hoppie of Orange, Calif./Villa Park, hit his second home run of the season in game two.
 
The Sharks are off until next Saturday when they open a four-game PacWest series with Holy Names with a doubleheader at Hans L'Orange Park starting at 2 p.m.
 
Game One
 
Freshman right hander Blake Flint of Phoenix, Ariz./Pinnacle scattered six hits, but allowed five runs with only two earned as he went all but one out on the afternoon in dropping to 3-3 on the season. All three unearned runs came off three errors in the final two innings.
 
Down 2-1 in the fifth inning, the Sharks loaded the bases with a walk, bunt single and a hit batsman, when leftfielder Ryan Torres-Torioka smacked a one-out, two RBI single through the left side of the infield to give HPU a 3-2 lead. But a double play ended the threat to blow the game open.
 
The score stood until the eighth when ArtU's Alex Fernandez reached on a fielding error at first, then got to second on a bunt when the throw to the bag pulled the shortstop off the base for a second error. Fernandez would score on a sacrifice fly two batters later.
 
The Sharks threatened in the bottom of the eighth, but Hoppie tried to score from second on a pinch hit single by Will Leskovic and was gunned down at the plate from left field for the third out of the inning.
 
In the ninth, a throwing error allowed ArtU to put runners at second and third before a two-out single by Michael Maleski plated two insurance runs.
 
Game Two
 
The Sharks grabbed the lead early when Hoppie crushed his second home run of the year with a two-out bash to left.
 
But the Sharks joy wouldn't last long. ArtU loaded the bases to start the second in part to an error, but the Sharks got a 5-2-3 double play to keep a 1-0 lead. But the next batter, Urban Knight pitcher/designated hitter Alex Fernandez' grounder to short resulted in second error that allowed two unearned runs to score and opened the flood gates. Maleski reached on a single, then Erick Luna followed with a 2 RBI single. Izac Bauer finished the scoring with a 2-run homer to left center and a 6-1 advantage.
 
HPU answered with three runs in the second with a Bumann two RBI double and an RBI single by Austin Inabata, but the Urban Knights countered with a run in the third on a sacrifice fly following a leadoff double.
 
HPU pulled within one with two more runs in the home half of the third when designated hitter Jaison Craig led off with a double and scored on catcher Robert Fram's single to left. Inabata then drove in another run with an RBI single to right to make it 7-6. But it would be as close as the Sharks would get.
 
After hanging zeros in the fourth, ArtU broke the game open following a Sharks dropped relay on a double-play attempt and a walk to load the bases. The Urban Knights followed with an RBI single by Fernandez and back-to-back 2 RBI doubles by Maleski and Luna for a five-run inning.
 
HPU added a final run in the fifth on an Inabata RBI single, and neither team scored in the final two innings.
 
HPU's Kyle Detwiler was tagged with the loss to fall to 1-2. ArtU's Jacob Green (3-1) picked up the win in relief after starter Alex Fernandez went only three innings.