Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

OAKLAND, Calif. — A complete game and school-record 13 strikeouts and in game two Friday by senior starting pitcher Nate Gercken helped lead the Academy of Art University baseball team to a 3-1 win and a doubleheader split against Northwest Nazarene at Laney College after the Crusaders edged ART U in the series opener 3-2.
 
Gercken (2-1) struck out the first four batters he faced in game two and five of the first six, as well as his final three and four of his last five en route to his second straight win in his second consecutive seven-inning complete game. Gercken's 13 strikeouts broke the previous Academy of Art single-game record of nine, previously set four different times, including by Gercken himself last season versus American Sports University.
 
Gercken also set a new ART U career strikeouts record Friday, collecting his 140th strikeout to surpass the former record of 231 set by Zach Mexicano (2009-12).
 
Academy of Art (2-6) outhit Northwest Nazarene (5-6) in both games, collecting 19 total hits in the doubleheader, but four errors on the night also spelled trouble for ART U as it dropped game one 3-2 after leaving the tying run on third in the bottom of the ninth.
 
GAME ONE
 
A last-chance rally in the opener fell just short for Academy of Art. The Urban Knights entered the frame trailing 3-1 and would get their first two batters on base and into scoring position with no outs thanks to back-to-back leadoff singles and a wild pitch. Senior catcher James Singzon pulled the Knights to within one at 3-2 with a sacrifice fly that also moved the tying run to third.
 
But a pinch-hit strikeout and a groundout to shortstop that junior center fielder Joseph Marchini narrowly missed out-running would seal the deal and leave pinch runner Daniel Gutierrez stranded at third as the tying run.
 
A pitchers' duel took shape in the opener, as NNU's Colton Loomis (2-1) did battle with ART U's Maclane Brady (0-2). Both pitchers went seven innings and threw 11 combined scoreless frames while never allowing more than one run in an inning.
 
Brady allowed two runs on six hits, striking out four and walking three. Northwest Nazarene got both of its runs off Brady with RBI doubles. The first came from the second batter of the game. Josh Hatfield doubled home Kyle Thomson to give NNU an early 1-0 lead after Thomson had moved from first to third on a failed pickoff throw from Brady.
 
Academy of Art tied the game in the fourth after a double of its own. Senior right fielder Daniel Robertson led off the frame with a two-bagger and one out later junior shortstop Tyler Strawn singled him in for a 1-1 score. NNU would take the lead right back in the top half thanks to a two-out, full-count RBI double that snuck inside the third base bag and down the left field line to give the Crusaders a 2-1 advantage.
 
A NNU insurance run in the eighth proved pivotal after Academy of Art's ninth-inning rally fell one run short. It was yet another double from Hatfield for the Crusaders that started the inning. A bunt single moved him to third and a sacrifice fly by Jesse Hilyard made it 3-1. ART U outhit NNU 11-8 in game one.
 
GAME TWO
 
Gercken was in complete control from the outset in the nightcap. The senior had at least one strikeout in all seven innings and struck out the side in both the first and seventh innings to accent the beginning and end of his record start. He did not surrender a walk or an earned run and only allowed three hits while lowering his season ERA to 2.29.
 
The senior's eighth career complete game also put him four innings away from setting a new ART U career record for innings pitched. The win was the sixth of Gercken's career, setting a new ART U record in that category as well.
 
Academy of Art was able to give Gercken all the offensive support he would need in the fourth inning. Senior catcher Chucky Cavestany slapped a two-out, two-strike RBI double down the left field line that brought in two runs and made it 2-0.
 
Northwest Nazarene got one run back in the top of the fifth on a two-out error, but Academy of Art repeated what NNU did in game one by tacking on an insurance run in the late innings. Eight batters came to the plate for ART U in the bottom of the sixth, and it was Singzon's sacrifice fly that brought in Strawn after a one-out triple to make it 3-1.
 
The series concludes Saturday with another doubleheader to be played in Hayward, Calif., at Cal State East Bay's Pioneer Field. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11 a.m.