Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

OAKLAND, Calif. – Mere hours after grinding out a doubleheader with No. 22 Azusa Pacific the previous at Laney College, ART U Baseball was back to work amid erratic rain storms on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars took both sides of the doubleheader, 11-1 and 10-3, but the Urban Knights' relief corps of senior Yoshi Uemura, freshman Jacob Green, and sophomore Alexander Kuisel were the highlight, allowing no earned runs in just over 8.0 innings of work with eight strikeouts.

Greg Ivory puts @ARTUBaseball up 3-2 with this 2-run double in B2 of this series finale with Azusa Pacific! PacWestBASE HardNose A video posted by Be Artist. Be Athlete. (@artu_knights) on Feb 28, 2015 at 3:44pm PST

GAME ONE
In the day's opening contest, Azusa Pacific gained an early advantage with three runs on four hits at the start. However, ART U answered with one run of their own in the home half on a single from senior Chucky Cavestany to score sophomore Greg Ivory. The APU lead steadily became 6-1 after three innings as their bats continued to connect.

Five runs came through in the fourth to make it an 11-1 ballgame, but Uemura entered in the fifth and began to post zeroes for the Cougars. Perhaps his most memorable inning was the sixth when he gave up a leadoff double then proceeded to strike out each of the next three batters all on looking strike threes.

The innings moved rather quickly from then on and Academy of Art was unable to come any closer, ultimately falling 11-1. Uemura would complete his appearance with a line of 5.0 innings pitched, no runs allowed, five hits, and five strikeouts.

GAME TWO
Although a hail storm suddenly overtook Laney College in between games, the second contest began as normal. Azusa Pacific wasted little time getting on the board with two runs in the first inning of game two, but ART U responded much like they did in the first game of the series with a score right back on Cavestany's infield single that led to an error and the run.

The second inning saw Ivory deliver up a two-run single to follow up hits by senior Jordan Thomas and junior Joseph Marchini. That momentum shift would put Academy of Art up 3-2, but APU immediately drove in the tying run in the next frame. The fourth inning included four runs on five hits as the Cougars began to create separation with a 7-3 score all the while both teams adapted to the periodic rainy weather systems passing over.

The Knights had a chance to get all four runs back with one swing in the fourth when the bases were loaded, but a popout ended the opportunity. On in relief in the third, Green threw a clean fifth while striking out a pair and the sixth belonged to Kuisel who was working his way out of a jam before three unearned runs scored after a costly outfield miscue. The 10-3 final would favor the visitors.

For Academy of Art (3-11, 1-3 PacWest), Ivory drove in two and scored twice with a 2-for-6 day at the plate that included a double and a stolen base. Marchini went 2-for-3 in game two, doubling and scoring as well. Green threw 1.1 scoreless innings with just two hits allowed and a pair of strikeouts in game two while Kuisel did not allow an earned run through 2.0 relief innings with one strikeout.

No. 22 Azusa Pacific exits Saturday's series finale with a 12-3 overall record, 3-1 in PacWest play. Wyatt Wood (1-0) picked up the victory in the first game with one run allowed over 6.0 innings pitched and seven strikeouts. Game two saw Billy Sanford (1-0) the benefactor with just one-third of an inning pitched. The Cougars' offensive hero was Adrian Tovalin who went 4-for-8 with five RBIs, a double, and a triple.

Academy of Art heads to Sonoma State's Seawolf Diamond this Wednesday, Mar. 4 for a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m.