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Oakland, CA -- In their last hurrah at home on Saturday, the Academy of Art University celebrated the careers of five seniors, who all contributed key performances in both of the Urban Knights games against Fresno Pacific University. But the Sunbirds played spoiler to the seniors finale, defeating the Knights on both ends of a doubleheader, sweeping the series by handing ART U losses of 3-1 in the opener and 10-3 in the nightcap.

Nate Gercken had yet another strong start for the Urban Knights, almost posting his second complete game in a row, but couldn't muster the support on offense to escape a loss. Gercken went toe-to-toe with Drew Merlo of Fresno Pacific, as both pitchers went as deep into the game as you can go without finishing off the game themselves. 

Both pitchers retired the side in order in the first, but the Knights threatened in the second, getting back-to-back singles from Ryan Ramirez and Maclane Brady to lead off the inning. But after a lengthy at-bat, Dante Redhead struck out, and Kevin Decker, the next batter, flied into a double play on a short fly ball to right. The Knights repaid the favor in the very next inning, as FPU got their first baserunner by way of a walk to Bryan Bucher, but McKay France hit a hard line drive to Ramirez at first, who quickly stepped on the bag for a double play. 

Fresno Pacific broke through against Gercken in the fifth, as Michael Hostetler singled with one out. After a single from John Koretoff and another from Bucher, the bases were loaded. France, the next batter, worked a 1-1 count before grounding a ball to second base, which was hit too softly to turn a double play and scored the first run of the game.

The Sunbirds added a run in the eighth on a solo homerun from Josh Banuelos and another in the top of the ninth on the final pitch from Gercken, a double from Baron Bower that scored the third run of the game. But the Knights wouldn't go down without a fight, as they went to bat against Merlo in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Chucky Cavestany doubled deep to left center. After a groundout, Maclane Brady had a swinging bunt that he beat out for a hit, scoring Cavestany from third and chasing Merlo from the game. Head coach Brian Guinn brought in Daniel Skinner to pinch-hit as the potential tying run, but the slugging first-baseman grounded out to second base to end the game. 


After the Senior Day ceremony in between games, the Knights five seniors took the field together, with Aaron Garabedian on the bump and four of the five seniors around the infield. Decker was the behind the plate, with Redhead at third, Ramirez at first, and Kalani Brackenridge at second to play their final home game. 

Fresno Pacific didn't give them much time to settle in, however, scoring four times in the top of the first, with two of the runs of the unearned variety after an error in right field. The Knights would get two of those runs back in the third inning when Ramirez singled with two on to score Daniel Robertson and then himself scored on a wild pickoff attempt while on third base, and it was 4-2 heading to the fourth inning. 

The Sunbirds would score another in the fourth on a single from Kaohu Gaspar and their sixth run in the fifth innin on a sacrifice fly from France to make it 6-2. But Academy of Art got on the comeback trail once again. Ramirez walked, and Brady followed with another walk against FPU starter Eian Raeber. Redhead reached on a fielders choice, and two wild pitches later, Brady scored to make it 6-3.

With Garabedian still on the mound, Travis Beck doubled to lead off the seventh, scoring on a single from Bucher before ART U's career ERA leader induced a double play and a flyout to get out of the inning, where his day ended. The Sunbirds would score three more in the ninth against Drew Keeler to finish the scoring at 10-3, and after the Knights got back-to-back walks in the bottom of the ninth, Brackenridge flied out and Joey Marchini grounded out to third to end the game.

The Urban Knights will hit the road to end the season, heading first to a four game set next week at California Baptist from April 24-26 before finishing up the year with a pair of doubleheaders against against Point Loma Nazarene University on May 2-3.