ALAMEDA, Calif. – It was a gripping day on the diamond for Academy of Art baseball at the College of Alameda, as the Urban Knights hung tough with Holy Names in a doubleheader that ultimately resulted in a split of the first two games in this Pacific West Conference series. Trailing by one and heading into the top of the ninth, ART U plated three runs to earn the come-from-behind 7-5 win in game one, while it was Holy Names that would take the shortened second game by a final of 3-2. 

Taking the field for the first time since they walked-off winners against Fresno Pacific, the Urban Knights (4-2, 4-2 PacWest) showed their resilience by battling back in the ninth inning to earn their fourth victory in five tries. It was a similar game script in the day's second game, as the Hawks (3-1, 3-1 PacWest) took a slim one-run lead into the top of the seventh. Once again showing their mettle was the Urban Knights, putting two runners on base to lead off the inning thanks to a walk and a single by sophomore outfielder Hayato Niki, but HNU pitcher Max Alers would find a groove and sit the next three batters down to pick up his first save of the season.

ART U would combine for nine runs on 19 hits during the day, with the top of the lineup having success all throughout the day. Batting from the three-spot, junior outfielder Ty Conrad was putting barrel to the ball almost every at-bat, going a combined 4-for-9 with three runs scored and four RBI. His fellow teammates in the top of the lineup, graduate student outfielder Andrew Shebloski and redshirt junior shortstop Dominic Ruggiero, each collected three hits and combined to score five runs. Junior right-handed pitcher Ryan Skillman would earn ART U's victory, coming on in relief and silencing the Hawks with only one hit allowed in 3.2 innings pitched to go with two strikeouts.

GAME ONE – ART U 7, HNU 5
It was a fast start to game one, with the Urban Knights putting up two runs in each of the first two innings. Shebloski singled to start the game, eventually leading to a 2-out, bases loaded scenario for junior first baseman Vincent Lontz, who would reach on an error while a run scored. That was followed by an RBI single for graduate student catcher Ryan Gamboa, as he drove in Conrad before the inning was finally ended. 

After two quick outs in the top of the second, Ruggiero would single into center and subsequently steal second base, putting himself in scoring position. The hustle play was rewarded, as Conrad would earn his first of his fourth RBI on the day by lining a ball into center field and bringing Ruggiero around to score. After a single from junior designated hitter Noah Daubin moved Conrad to third, graduate student second baseman Justin Summers would plate the fourth run of the game with the inning's fourth straight single to make the game 4-0. There were even great defensive plays made early on, such as in the third inning when Shebloski raced back to the track and went up the wall rob a home run, denying HNU their first run of the game.  

In his first time out after earning conference and regional weekly awards, graduate student righty Matthew Sanchez was cruising in his second start of the season, but would run into trouble in the middle innings. He allowed his first run of the season in the fifth after a leadoff double put a man immediately in scoring position, who would come around to score just two batters later on a Jerry Gaitan RBI single. 

It was the sixth where the most damage would be done, with four runs scored in the frame as HNU captured its first lead of the day. A leadoff walk would put a man on before a stolen base moved him into scoring position, which would immediately result in a run thanks to a single into right field. Then with one swing, Colton Combs put the Hawks on top with a three-run blast into straight away right field. 

That score would hold until the top of the ninth, due in large part to Skillman's efforts by retiring the first 10 batters he faced. It would keep the Knights in the game until they had a chance to mount a rally, which would begin in the top of the last frame when Ruggiero doubled to leadoff the inning. He wouldn't be on the bases long, as Conrad would bring him around with a single into right-center field. Three batters later, Lontz would give ART U the lead on a sacrifice fly to center, while sophomore third baseman Adam Inouye made sure the Knights had an insurance run after he singled home Daubin. Skillman returned to the mound and capped off his relief appearance, earning all three outs via fly balls to improve his record to 2-0 and clinch the win for Academy of Art. 

All Urban Knights in the starting batting order collected a hit, including five players with a two-hit game. Conrad's two-RBI game was tops for ART U, while Lontz, Gamboa, Inouye and Niki all drove in a run as well. Taking the loss for HNU was Daniel Hopkins, as he was tagged with a blown save after allowing three runs on six hits in 2.0 innings pitched.

GAME TWO – HNU 3, ART U 2 (7 INNINGS)
It was Holy Names to get on the board first in game two, as three straight singles, capped off by a bunt single by Myles Coston would lead to the game's first run. The fourth inning was when the Urban Knights would answer, and who else but the 1-2-3 part of the order after Shebloski started the rally by singling into left field. Ruggiero would move them both into scoring position thanks to a double down the left field line, leading to the hot-swinging Conrad to drive both in on a two-RBI single into left on an 0-2 pitch. However, the Hawks would instantly respond with a pair of runs thanks to an ART U throwing error where the ball sailed over the first baseman's head and into the dugout of the Urban Knights.

Not a team to go away quietly, ART U put up a fight in the top of the seventh inning, as Inouye would walk before Niki lined a crisp single into right field, putting a pair of runners aboard for the top third of the lineup. Unfortunately, they did not have the same success against the HNU closer Alers as they the starter Noah Barros, as the next three would go down in order to end the game.

It was the second win of the season for Barros, as he struck out 10 while allowing two runs on four hits over 6.0 innings pitched. Alers would get the save after the scoreless seventh, tossing 21 pitches in the frame. Starting graduate student righty Jayson Summers would get tagged with the loss for ART U, dropping his record to 1-1 on the season after allowing three runs, only one earned, on six his with a career-high nine strikeouts and five walks. 

ART U will close out the final two of this four-game set with HNU from College of Alameda beginning Saturday at 1 p.m.