AZUSA, Calif. – Early offense was the theme in the opening two games of the Pacific West Conference AQ Pod Series for Academy of Art baseball, as No. 17/15 and host Azusa Pacific captured game one 14-2 after an eight-run first inning seized the momentum, but ART U rebounded with consecutive four-run frames to open what became an 8-5 victory over UH Hilo. 

Drawing the first doubleheader of the AQ Series, the Urban Knights (16-18) were challenged by the nationally-ranked Cougars (30-8). Known for their power, APU put it on full display, blasting two home runs during the first inning while adding two more in the home half of the seventh. Newly announced 2021 PacWest Pitcher of the Year AJ Woodall drew the start for the Cougars, keeping the Urban Knights in check through eight innings by allowing just two runs, with only one of them earned. ART U would pay it forward to the Vulcans (13-13) in game two, putting up eight runs of their own but splitting the production in half over the first two innings. Senior right-handed starter Jayson Summers collected his fourth win of the season by keeping UH Hilo down through seven innings, allowing four runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts. 

Posting a total of four hits on the day was graduate student catcher Ryan Gamboa, earning a pair of hits in both games with two runs scored, an RBI and a double. Also notching hits in both games was graduate student outfielder Andrew Shebloski, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while junior first baseman Vincent Lontz and junior designated hitter Noah Daubin each drove in a pair of runs and smacked a double. 

GAME ONE – APU 14, ART U 2
It was an uphill climb for the Urban Knights after the Cougars tacked on two more runs in the second inning to make the game 10-0, but ART U did respond in the top of the third when they collected their first hit as Gamboa led off the frame with a single. Three batters later, he would score on an RBI groundout Shebloski for the first ART U run of the game. 

Academy of Art was able to score once more in the top of the seventh after another Gamboa spark took the form of a leadoff double. A single from sophomore third baseman Adam Inouye would move Gamboa over to third, subsequently scoring ART U's second run on an RBI groundout from sophomore outfielder Hayato Niki. Ultimately, the Cougars would cruise to the 14-2 victory with another pair of runs in the home half of both the fourth and seventh innings.

Taking the loss for ART U was graduate student right-hander Matthew Sanchez, who was responsible for 10 earned runs in just 1.2 innings of work. With the Knights limited to just five hits at the dish, two belonged to Gamboa, going 2-for-3 and scoring both ART U runs, while Shebloski ended 1-for-3 with an RBI. 

GAME TWO – ART U 8, UH HILO 5
Flipping the script in the second of the twin bill, Academy of Art claimed the early lead with four runs in the first, beginning with a leadoff single from Shebloski to set the table. Another runner would reach base in junior outfielder Ty Conrad after a fielding error, putting Shebloski in scoring position and allowing Daubin to drive him in and score the game's first run. Conrad would soon follow him across the plate on a sacrifice fly from graduate student second baseman Justin Summers, and a third run would score in three batters after Lontz ripped a double down the right field line to drive in Daubin. Finally, Lontz scored after Gamboa picked up the Knights' fourth hit of the inning with an RBI single up the middle to make the lead 4-0. 

Consecutive four-run frames would double the Urban Knights' lead, with Shebloski once again leading the charge with another single, this time down the third base line on an 0-2 count. A wild pitch and the second UH Hilo error of the game would put runners at the corners with one out, followed by three consecutive hits by Conrad, Daubin, and Summers to score a pair of runs and keep the rally alive with two runners still on base. A fielder's choice would earn an RBI for Lontz, and the final run of the inning scampered home on a passed ball to put ART U comfortably ahead, 8-0. 

The starting performance by senior right-hander Jayson Summers was smooth, scattering three hits and allowing just three baserunners through the first three innings. Summers would bend but not break in the fourth, running into a jam but escaping with no damage allowed. Unfortunately, the Vulcans would finally strike in the fifth, starting with a pair of hits but followed by a pair of fielder's choices, as the Knights would trade a run for two outs. However, one swing would be all it took for the Vulcans, as a two-run homer would quickly cut the ART U lead to 8-3. 

A leadoff triple in the top of the sixth would lead to a fourth UH Hilo run in the sixth inning, but that would be all that Jayson Summers would allow before giving way to junior righty Collin Carriger. While Carriger would allow a run in the away half of the ninth, he would shut the door and help the Knights close the day on a winning note in their quest to make NCAA Regionals. 

Four Urban Knights had multi-hit games, with Lontz and Daubin each chipping in a pair of RBI and a double. Three others would also drive in a run, highlighted by a 2-for-4 game from Gamboa and Conrad, with Conrad also scoring a pair of runs. Summers would earn the win on the mound in his seven-inning effort, while Carriger kept the Vulcans to just three hits in two innings. 

ART U will return to the diamond on Friday when they rematch with Hilo at 4 p.m. PDT.