Carson, Calif. (4/11/09) -- The Urban Knights suited up for not only a doubleheader against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday at Toro Field, but also the two-inning conclusion to Friday's seven-inning affair as well. Having been stopped early because AAU was set to face CSU San Bernardino later in the day, Academy of Art University first wrapped up Friday's contest versus CSUDH which turned out to be a 10-1 defeat. Then, in game two, the Toros prevailed with a 15-3 victory in seven innings before a 10-1 Dominguez Hills win completed the series. In the three games, sophomore first baseman Chris Vargas was 3-for-14 with a home run, two RBIs, three runs scored, and a walk.

Box Score #1

In the final two innings of the series opener, sophomore right-handed pitcher Darnell Quinney came on to finish what junior righty Danny Couser had started. After a walk began the bottom of the seventh inning, Andrew Baslow homered and later on an error by junior second baseman Matthew Ko allowed a third run to come home. With the scoreboard now reading 10-0, Academy of Art University loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning and Quinney batted in freshman left fielder Zach Mexicano before the final out was made.

Couser (0-4), the original starter, pitched six innings of the contest and allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits with two walks and two strikeouts. AAU struggled offensively but still had hits from Vargas, junior designated hitter Mike Gutierrez, senior catcher Florentino Ubungen, freshman third baseman Brandon Kistler, and freshman right fielder Martin Layton-Santos.

Box Score #2

Kicking off the scheduled doubleheader, Cal State Dominguez Hills put up five runs in the first inning with the third home run of the series for Jon Alia. Quinney was on the mound again after finishing off the previous contest and he would last three full innings (6.0 total innings on the day).

The second inning saw Academy of Art University get on the board after three consecutive singles came from sophomore shortstop Van Hanson, Kistler, and the RBI single for Layton-Santos. An unearned run crossed in the third to make the score 6-1 in favor of CSUDH.

Then, in the AAU fifth, Mexicano, Vargas, and Ubungen led off with three more singles to load the bases. Freshman utility Alex Rosenthal came in to pinch hit with one out and his single up the middle scored Vargas. Hanson got another run home on a fielder's choice and the Knights had cut the Toro advantage down to three.

Unfortunately for the visitors, CSU Dominguez Hills responded with a big five-run rally against Ko who had pitched one scoreless inning at that point in the game. A four-run sixth inning followed for the home squad which consequently ended the game after a scoreless Academy of Art University seventh.

The two Knights hitters with a multi-hit performance in the contest were Ubungen (2-for-4 with a run scored) and Hanson (2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored). Layton-Santos got his first RBI of the season in the game and AAU again managed a solid offensive showing with nine hits.

Quinney (0-6) took the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and a strikeout. Ko came on in relief, but gave up nine runs on 11 hits with one walk and one strikeout.

Box Score #3

Freshman right-hander Edgar Zelaya (0-2) took the mound in the third and final game between the two teams in which CSUDH got things going with two runs in the second inning, however, the Urban Knights would get on the board with back-to-back singles by Ko and Kistler followed by a RBI groundout from Vargas.

CSUDH showed its speed in the bottom half of that third inning where four hits and three stolen bases turned into four runs and a 6-1 lead for the Toros. Comfortably ahead, Dominguez Hills would go on to add four more runs to their advantage over the next three innings and AAU was unable to push any more across.

Zelaya pitched 6.0 innings, allowed 10 runs (seven earned) on 12 hits and walked one in his second loss of the season. Offensively, the hits came from Layton-Santos, Ko, and Kistler for the Knights.

In the four weekend contests, Layton-Santos was 4-for-12 with one RBI, Ubungen was 4-for-14 with a run scored, Hanson was 2-for-7 with a RBI, and Gutierrez was 2-for-6 with a RBI.

At the conclusion of this weekend's games, Academy of Art University's record is now 0-25, CSU San Bernardino improves to 18-16 and Cal State Dominguez Hills is now 26-16 overall.

The Urban Knights will next travel to Menlo College for a single game on Tuesday, Apr. 14 which is scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM. This is the final stop before a four-day, five game stretch (Apr. 18-21) in which the Knights face Cal Poly Pomona and Chico to close out the season.