ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Though Academy of Art baseball wasn't able to hold an initial 3-0 lead against Sonoma State in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, with SSU storming back for an 8-4 victory and series win, ART U would not go home empty handed after using a pair of three-run innings to snatch a 7-1 win in the shortened second game. 

It was a similar narrative as last weekend's doubleheader against Cal State East Bay in that the Urban Knights (2-5) were able to grab a lead early, only to see it disappear by the end of game one before responding with a convincing win in game two. The bats were working all day long for ART U to the tune of 21 combined hits, 12 of which came in just seven innings of game two which produced seven runs. The Seawolves (2-3) used solid relief pitching to help take control in game one, allowing their offense to string together their own crooked numbers en route to the victory.

There were a trio of three-run innings for ART U, as nine of the day's 11 runs came in just three frames. Clutch at the plate was senior outfielder Ty Conrad, who was a combined 4-for-7 with three runs scored, three runs batted in and two doubles, while senior first baseman Vincent Lontz nearly matched his output at 4-for-6 with a run scored, an RBI and a double. Logging his second win of the season was senior right-hander Cannon Secrist, who went six of seven innings in the second game while allowing just one run on four hits and striking out eight, already a season-high in the early part of the campaign. Just like in the previous win, right-handed sophomore Dallen Turner would appear in relief, this time pitching just one scoreless 1-2-3 inning for his second save of the year. 

GAME ONE – SSU 8, ART U 4
Academy of Art started things off with a bang, as junior outfielder Charles Morgan was hit by a pitch to begin the game and subsequently moved up to second on a passed ball, and immediately scored on a double down the left field line from Conrad. It was the first of three consecutive hits for the Knights, as graduate student outfielder Travis Turney drove him in with an RBI single into left before stealing second base. Redshirt sophomore designated hitter Liam Rizzo returned the favor with an RBI double of his own, chasing the Sonoma State starter in just two-thirds of an inning. 

That lead would last for just two innings as the Seawolves responded with a three-spot of their own in the home half of the third, loading the bases without an out after a hit batter and a pair of walks. An error by the Knights and another walk would bring all three runners around, while keeping the Knights in danger, but a double play and fly ball would get ART U out of the jam. 

Sonoma State would score runs in a more organic way in the fourth, using a trio of two-out hits that included a pair of doubles to score another three runs and take their first lead of the day. For good measure, SSU tacked on two more runs in the home half of the sixth on one swing when Braeden Holliday left the yard on a 2-2 pitch. Not even one final ART U run on a Conrad sacrifice fly would make a difference, as four different Seawolves would make a scoreless appearance of at least 1.1 inning pitched. 

The win would go to Aidan Dolan, his first of the campaign, while ART U starter Collin Carriger would be stuck with the loss after allowing six runs, only four earned, on six hits in 4.0 innings pitched. 

Eight of nine Urban Knights starters would record a hit led by the two from Morgan, who reached base in four of five plate appearances and was officially 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk. Conrad and Rizzo would each end 1-for-4 with an RBI double while Conrad also scored a run. 

GAME TWO – ART U 7, SSU 1 (7)
Things started much more slowly in the shortened second game, through ART U once again was on the scoreboard before the end of the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Conrad, which scored Morgan after he once again led off the game by getting on base but this time via a walk. Despite the Knights threatening to score again in the second inning, they would be denied, leaving the door open for Sonoma State to tie the action at 1-1 with a solo home run from Otis Statum.

Little did Sonoma State know that home run would be all they could muster in game two, running up against stiff starting pitching from Secrist, who would scatter just three more hits and and one walk walk reaching eight strikeouts for just the fourth time in his ART U career (last: 3/8/21 vs. FPU). 

Small ball would be the name fo the game for Academy of Art when they regained the lead in the top of the third, with redshirt senior shortstop Dominic Ruggiero and Conrad setting the table before being driven home on an RBI single from Turney (with one run aided by an error), while Turney would subsequently score on a clutch two-out, 3-2 RBI single from Lontz. 

Not satisfied with the lead, ART U added three more insurance runs in their half of the seventh, with all of the damage in the inning coming with two outs. Conrad put himself in scoring range with a double down the left field line before scoring on an RBI single from Rizzo, with the final two runs coming after an error and an RBI single from junior second baseman Adam Inouye. 

Tossing a perfect ninth inning was Turner, who completed save number two by inducing a pair of groundouts and a flyout. 

Both Conrad and Lontz would end game two with a line of 3-for-3 with an RBI and a double, but Conrad would score twice while Lontz crossed the plate just once. Ruggiero would notch a pair of hits with a 2-for-4 effort while scoring once. 

ART U will meet a familiar foe the next time on the diamond, as the Urban Knights battle the Hawks of Holy Names in a non-conference four-game series beginning on Feb. 18 at 1 p.m.