HAYWARD, Calif. – Academy of Art baseball came up with six hits in the opener of a three-game series against Cal State East Bay on Friday, but unfortunately ART U would leave five runners on base while CSUEB scored in three consecutive innings for a 4-0 victory. 

Within the first two innings the Urban Knights (0-2) had three hits, two of which came in the opening frame of the game while junior outfielder Charles Morgan led off the second inning with a double, but Morgan would only make it as far as third with ART U unable to capitalize. That allowed the Pioneers (1-0) on a sacrifice fly after a pair of runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball, with the runners reaching on one-out walk and hit. 

The lead would double in the bottom of the third after a two-out double would put a man in scoring position, who ultimately scored on an error by ART U. In the fourth the Pioneers would double the lead once more, as a leadoff walk set the table for a two-run blast by Matthew O'Mahony to push the game to 4-0. 

Cal State East Bay pitching held ART U to just three more from the third inning on, as the Pioneers received solid pitching efforts from three members of their staff to preserve the shutout. A trio of right-handed Urban Knights would combine on four scoreless innings, starting with 2.0 innings from senior Ryan Skillman, while senior Morgan Edwards and sophomore Dallen Turner tossed a frame each. 

Leading the Knights at the dish were the combination of Morgan and senior outfielder Ty Conrad, as both were 2-for-4 with the only difference being the double from Morgan. ending the day 1-for-4 was redshirt senior shortstop Dominic Ruggiero, as he now has a hit in each of the ART U's first two contests, while junior second baseman Adam Inouye collected his first hit of the year and was 1-for-3. 

It is a short series between the two squads, as the series will conclude with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at noon.