OAKLAND, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University scored in the ninth to send the game to extra innings, but Academy of Art collected a walk-off win in the 11th to beat HPU 6-5 to open a four-game PacWest Conference baseball series at Laney College Field on Thursday.
 
The Sharks (17-24, 11-22) dropped their fourth straight game and ninth in the last 10 contests. The Urban Knights (22-20, 17-16) won their fourth in the last five games.
 
Senior first baseman Christian Kapeliela of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle reached base three times, going 1-for-3 with two walks, while senior designated hitter Codi Santana of Oxnard, Calif./St. Bonaventure HS was 0-for-3 two with two RBIs. Sophomore rightfielder Ryan Torres-Torioka of Holualoa, Hawai'i/Konawaena and sophomore second baseman Trey Yukumoto of Waipahu, Hawai'i/Leilehua both recorded two hits.
 
Senior righthander Billy Clemens of Tempe, Ariz./Corona Del Sol, pitched eight innings for the Sharks, allowing five runs – three earned – on just five hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Righthanded reliever Evan Spitzer (0-2) of Mesa, Ariz./Desert Ridge, recorded two innings and into the 11th, allowing a run on three hits with two strikeouts.
 
ARTU's Chris Rost (3-1) got the win in relief, throwing 3.2 innings allowing a run on one hit with two strikeouts. Starter Angel Mora went 5.1 innings allowing three runs – two earned – on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Donnie Gardiner pitched two innings, allowing a run on two hits with three walks and a strikeout.
 
The Sharks opened with an early lead, scoring in the first on a Santana sacrifice fly and in the third inning on an RBI single by Kapeliela to right center.
 
But a four-run fifth inning by Academy of Art, spurred by three HPU errors, turned the game around. The Urban Knights got a two-out two-RBI double from Josh Carlin to get the scoring started. Jackson Murphy struckout swinging, but the ball was in the dirt and HPU junior catcher Gabriel Garcia of Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield Christian threw wildly to first that allowed Carlin to score and Murphy to reach. A throwing error on the next play by senior shortstop Mitchell Bumann of Corona, Calif./Temescal Canyon, followed by a throwing error by Clemens allowed Murphy to score and the Urban Knights were up 4-2.
 
HPU got a run back in the top of the six when Kapeliela walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Senior third baseman Wyatt Hoppie of Orange, Calif./Villa Park followed with an RBI double to left center pull back within one at 4-3.
 
The Sharks tied the game in the eighth, loading the bases with one out.  But a bases-loaded ground out became the second out with a force at home. That's when ARTU's Rost dished up a wild pitch and senior pinch hitter Kreston Woods of Tempe, Ariz./DeNiza scored to knot the game at 4-4. A line drive ended the threat.
 
The Urban Knights retaliated with a run in the bottom of the eighth on Marciano Reichel's RBI single put ARTU back up 5-4.
 
HPU came back again in the top of the ninth as Torres-Torioka opened the inning with a single and stole second, then moved to third on a fly out. Santana lined out to left field, but it was deep enough for the RBI sac fly to bring on Torres-Torioka with the tying run.
 
ARTU won the game in the 11th as the Urban Knights strung three straight singles together, capped by Reichel's RBI single.
 
The Sharks and Urban Knights are back in action on Friday with a single game at 4 p.m. HST (7 p.m. PDT) at Laney Field.