OAKLAND, Calif. – Though it featured 18 pitchers, nine from either side, Tuesday night's baseball game between Academy of Art University and Sonoma State came down to timely hitting. The Urban Knights broke an early 1-1 tie with a two-run rally in the fifth inning then added one more in the seventh which would prove crucial as the Seawolves nearly came back in the ninth. The 4-3 win was ART U's seventh in 2016 and made the Knights a perfect 2-0 in two meetings with SSU this season.

A predetermined agreement between coaching staffs set up the plan for both sides to use a different pitcher in each of the nine innings and it began with junior Chris Rost (0-1) on the hill. He would allow the bases to be loaded, but exited the jam unscathed. Sonoma State once again filled the bases in the second and scored its first run, but junior Josh Lopez (3-1) was able provide two relief outs.

Academy of Art then tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by junior catcher Zack Trueblood following a leadoff single from senior infielder Tyler Strawn. Lopez returned for a scoreless third and the Knights had their turn leaving the bases loaded in the bottom half. Both teams left three on in the fourth as it seemed either side might break through at any time.

Junior Cody Ball (2-1) needed just 11 pitches to retire the side in the fifth and ART U proceeded to take a 3-1 lead on a bases-loaded infield single by sophomore infielder Michael Maleski followed by senior outfielder Cody Edmunds' sacrifice fly. The trio of relievers junior Alexander Kuisel (0-3), freshman Roman Martinez (0-1), and Robert "Gio" Villanueva (0-0) then combined to allow only one hit over three scoreless innings.

Junior outfielder Cameron Jones Jr. started the seventh with his first triple of the year and eventually came in to score on a groundout by Edmunds. That set up junior Brett Bovee (2-2) with a 4-1 lead in the ninth which he held despite allowing a home run and three hits before another run came in on a wild pitch. Nevertheless, he struck out his final batter faced to get his team the victory and his first save as an Urban Knight.

Already one win away from tying last year's total, Academy of Art was led by Maleski's 2-for-3 day that featured a run batted in while Trueblood and Edmunds were responsible for the other two RBIs. Jones was 1-for-1 with his first triple and Ivory reached base four times, finishing 2-for-3 with two walks. Of the nine pitchers ART U used on Tuesday, just three allowed a hit. Ball earned the win with a strikeout in a hitless and scoreless fifth then later Bovee allowed a pair of runs, but picked up the save.

Though they are atop the CCAA North Division currently, Sonoma State drops to 8-11 with the defeat at the Knights' hand. Joey Manzi (0-2) shouldered the loss after he did not get an out and allowed two runs. O'Malley hit his first home run of the year and finished 1-for-4.

Academy of Art returns to Pacific West Conference play this weekend when the Urban Knights open a four-game series hosting Dixie State with a 1 p.m. doubleheader this Sunday, Mar. 13.