ST GEORGE, Utah — The Academy of Art University baseball team held early leads in both games Saturday, but big innings once again helped lead Pacific West Conference leader Dixie State to comebacks, as the Red Storm won 10-4 and 11-6 in a doubleheader sweep at Bruce Hurst Field.
 
The Urban Knights (5-24, 3-13 PacWest) led 3-0 in game one and 3-1 in game two, but innings of eight runs and five runs, respectively, in each game gave the Red Storm (20-8, 15-1 PacWest) the final advantage. DSU completed the four-game sweep to extend its winning streak to eight games, while ART U's losing streak went to 10 straight.
 
Both teams broke out the bats on Saturday, scoring a total of 31 runs on 38 hits, but the offenses were also opportunistic. Both defenses struggled, as each team committed seven errors leading to a total of 20 unearned runs.
 
Junior center fielder Joseph Marchini had two multi-hit performances in the doubleheader, going 4-for-8 with an RBI and two runs scored. Junior shortstop Tyler Strawn drove in runs in both games to give him four RBIs in the series. Senior first baseman Maclane Brady also had hits in both games with a 3-for-7 day with a double, three runs scored and an RBI.
 
GAME ONE
 
ART U's 3-0 lead in the opener came thanks to three unanswered RBI base hits in the first and second innings. Junior left fielder Greg Ivory doubled home Marchini to break open the scoring in the first inning and Strawn singled home Ivory for a 2-0 lead. Marchini did the driving in the following inning with an RBI single to score senior second baseman Cody Edmunds.
 
Dixie State pulled to within 3-2 with two runs in the fifth but would end the inning on a bases loaded situation after a sac fly and a throw out at second, preserving the Knights' lead. ART U answered back in the top of the sixth with an unearned run to make it 4-2 and appear to have control midway through the game.
 
But the Red Storm would get eight runs on six base hits and two errors in the bottom of the sixth to take over with a 10-4 lead. DSU scored runs in four straight at-bats and five of six during the inning. Five of the Red Storm's runs in the frame were unearned.
 
Five DSU players had multi-hit games in the opener, led by Drew McLaughlin's 3-for-4 performance with a double, three RBIs and run scored. Academy of Art Senior relief pitcher Nick Giotta threw three innings and did not surrender an earned run, though he gave up four runs on six hits. Dixie State starter Aaron Pope took a no decision with four runs allowed (two earned) in 5 2/3 innings pitched.
 
GAME TWO
 
Not deterred by DSU's comeback in game one, the Urban Knights took the first lead for the third time in the series in the nightcap. Ivory drove in Marchini again in the first inning and Strawn brought him home with an RBI groundout to make it 2-0.
 
A sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first by McLaughlin cut ART U's lead in half, but again the Knights responded with a run in the top of the second on an RBI single from Edmunds to score Brady and lead 3-1.
 
Dixie State chipped away, first with a single run in the second and then another in the third to tie the game at 3-3, but it wasn't done there. After a two-out walk to load the bases, Sam Hall hit a grand slam to left field to put DSU up 7-3 in one swing. They would score three more in the fifth with three RBI hits to take a 10-3 lead and put the game away.
 
ART U tried to build a comeback of its own in the top of the sixth inning, first with an RBI double by Brady and then with an RBI groundout by senior Daniel Skinner to cut the deficit in half at 10-5. Edmunds brought home Brady on an infield single to make it 10-6, but the Urban Knights would leave the tying run on deck when Marchini lined out to left field to end the threat.
 
Freshman pitcher Kevin Herron threw four innings and only gave up two earned runs on five hits and four walks, but the Red Storm got five unearned runs off the rookie. Junior relief pitcher Jacob Green threw 1 1/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief.
 
Academy of Art next faces Holy Names in a home-and-home four-game series. The series begins at noon Friday with a doubleheader, where the Urban Knights will honor their seniors playing in their final home games at Laney College.