OAKLAND, Calif.- Academy of Art entered Sunday's series finale against Concordia trailing two games to one. However, strong performances on both sides of the ball propelled the Urban Knights to a 5-4 win to split the set with the Eagles.
 
Sophomore Mason Verhees was tabbed to make his second start of the season after posting 4.1 strong innings in his last outing against Sonoma State. The Eagles were able to get the scoring going first with a pair of runs in the second, but that was all the San Diego native surrendered in the contest.

 
Down two runs to none entering the fourth inning, ART U was able to tie things up thanks to junior outfielder Jackson Murphy. With one out and a runner on second, Murphy hit a shot over the 375-foot marker in left-center field in the first pitch of the at-bat. It was Murphy's second long ball of the season and his fifth and sixth runs batted in.
 
With the game now tied at two runs apiece, senior right hander Josh Lopez entered the game with one out in the fourth. The Multimedia Communications major did not allow a run in the frame despite inheriting a runner on second.
 
The Eagles regained the lead in the sixth, but it was not for long as junior designated hitter Evan Ray's one-out infield single drove in junior outfielder Izac Bauer in the bottom of the frame. The Knights went back to work in the seventh as well, this time seeing two runs cross the plate. Senior infielder Erick Luna highlighted the inning with a double that one-hopped the left field wall and drove in junior infielder Michael Maleski from first. In the next at-bat, Bauer hit a sacrifice fly to center field which allowed Luna to come in to score.
 
With senior left hander Alexander Kuisel now on the mound, Academy of Art looked for a quick ninth inning, but the Eagles were able to plate a run on two hits and send the tying run to first base. After an eight-pitch battle with Concordia's Dane Vande Guchte, Kuisel induced a groundout to Luna at short which ended the game by a score of 5-4.
 
Kuisel came away with the win on Sunday, his first of the season after going 2.2 innings while allowing one earned run on four hits and struck out three. Verhees tossed 4.1 innings in the start and finished with two runs on four hits while striking out two and walked three. Lopez was strong as well, allowing a run on 2.0 innings of work and walked three while striking out one batter.
 
The Urban Knights came back to split the series after dropping the opening two games and now hold a 2-2 record in PacWest-play. ART U will look to use the momentum from their two-game winning streak as they head into an eight-game road trip in Hawaii beginning on Saturday, March 11 at 4:00 p.m. HT.