GAME #32
ART U (3-28) vs. Cal State Stanislaus (16-14)
April 6, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Laney College -- Oakland, CA
Live Stats

GAMES #33 & #34
ART U (3-28) vs. Cal State Stanislaus (16-14)
April 7, 2012 at 2:00 PM (Game 1)
Laney College -- Oakland, CA
Live Stats

FIRST PITCH
The Urban Knights are coming off probably their most impressive win of the season, an 8-5 victory of Hawaii Hilo in the series finale. Spencer Roland was tapped to start the game, and threw a seven inning gem to earn his first career victory. Stefen Henderson broke out of his slump to go 2-for-3 with two walks and a program-record five RBIs, including the deciding 2-out, bases-clearing triple in the sixth. Bryce Hutchings came in and pitched two innings for his first career save.

KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER
The Urban Knights pitching staff has vastly improved in the past couple weeks, and head coach Brian Guinn has stressed the decrease in walks as part of the decrease in big innings against ART U. The team ERA was as high as 9.12 on March 9, but has been 4.62 since then, lowering the team mark by over two runs to 7.02. Nate Gercken has pitched to the tune of a 2.87 ERA, and Zach Mexicano to a 4.66 mark over that span. The close games have Guinn praising his pitchers, and pointing out that if the offense has the game within reach, they can win some games.

THE BOOK OF ELI
Eli Davis has been tearing things up for the Warriors of Cal State Stanislaus, hitting at a .414 clip and slugging .672 this year. His five homeruns lead the team, as do his 30 RBIs and .465 on-base percentage. Davis is also currently riding an 8-game hitting streak and a 28-game reached base streak. The Knights will also have to be wary of Justin Manci, who is hitting .342 and has reached base in 16 straight games. Manci has thirteen doubles and eight steals, both of which lead the Warriors.

ALL HAIL CAPTAIN JACK
Spencer Roland, who earlier this year shaved off his trademark handlebar mustache and goatee, is fondly known to a lot of his teammates as "Sparrow," named after the eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow from The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Roland has embraced the role, as his unconventional pitching style lends him a sort of mystique on the mound that keeps a lot of hitters off balance. His seven-inning performance last week was a career long, and he navigated his way around the strike zone en route to notching his first career win and lowering his ERA to an even 6.00.

WHAT'S ON DECK
The Knights will have a couple weeks off and then host Grand Canyon for back-to-back doubleheaders on April 19-20, here at Laney College with both games starting a 4:00 PM.