SAN DIEGO – Academy of Art baseball entered the day split at one game apiece with Point Loma. However, the Urban Knights were unable to break through against formidable Sea Lion pitching and left Carol B. Land Stadium with one win in four games.
 
Game One: ART U 1, PLNU 16
 
Senior catcher Zack Trueblood stepped up to the plate in the top of the fifth. Runners were at the corners and not a single out had been recorded. On the first pitch, the Redding, Calif. native pulled the ball on the ground to the third baseman who took the out at first, throwing out Trueblood who was speeding down the line. On the play, senior third baseman Tyler Strawn came in to score ART U's first run of the afternoon. However, their run was too little, too late as it was not enough to overcome Point Loma's early 12-run advantage.
 
PLNU would continue to extend their lead throughout the remainder of the game, scoring four more runs for a total of 16 in the contest.
 
Freshman right hander Daniel Farfan started the game for the Urban Knights and had a rare off-day on the mound. The Soledad, Calif. native was unable to get out of the second inning, allowing seven earned runs including a three-run home run and a grand slam in the second inning.
 
"While the Sea Lion pitchers were outstanding, our hitters could not find any consistency throughout the day," said head coach Dan McDermott.
 
Game Two: ART U 1, PLNU 6
 
Junior right hander Chris Rost made his fourth start of the season in game two of Saturday's double header. The Solano Community College transfer produced his longest outing as an Urban Knight, tossing a complete game (6.0 innings) while allowing six earned runs on eight hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.
 
"Chris threw a good game; he looked free and easy," said McDermott. "Despite giving up a long ball early, he settled down and gave us a chance to win."
 
ART U managed to score a run in the same manner as in game one: in the fourth inning, redshirt junior second baseman Erick Luna hit a sharp roller to third which allowed senior left fielder Greg Ivory to cross the plate. At the time, the deficit had been trimmed to just two runs as the Urban Knights only trailed by a score of 3-1.
 
However, Point Loma quickly responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning and added two more in the sixth. Unable to bring another run across, ART U fell by a final total of 6-1.
 
"As we prepare for the upcoming series, we will continue to emphasize the positives and work to improve several facets of our game," said McDermott.
 
Academy of Art now returns home for a four-game set with the UH-Hilo Vulcans which begins Friday April 22.