OAKLAND, Calif. – Bouncing back from a tough loss to Azusa Pacific in game one of a Pacific West Conference doubleheader, Academy of Art baseball had the chance to split the Saturday twin bill by loading the bases with the winning run on first in the series finale, but APU would shut the door on the ART U comeback to preserve a 2-0 win in seven innings. 

A four-run first inning by the Cougars (10-10, 5-3 PacWest) set the tone in game one, scoring early and often while the pitching staff held the Urban Knights (6-17, 2-10 PacWest) to just two hits. Things would be more tightly contested in the second contest, as a true pitcher's duel came down to the final at-bats in the bottom of the seventh when Academy of Art had the bases full with no outs, but all three runners would be stranded with Azusa Pacific taking the series sweep. 

GAME ONE – APU 20, ART U 2
It was all Cougars from the jump as they scored in every inning but the second and third, and had a total of five frames where they scored two or more runs. A hit from senior pitcher Ryan Skillman would be the only ART U hit on the board up until the ninth inning, when the Knights put a pair of runners on via a walk and fielder's choice before they both moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Graduate student outfielder Travis Turney then drove in the first ART U run of the game thanks to a sacrifice fly to left field, while graduate student catcher Ryan Gamboa would notch the second Urban Knight base knock when he singled to right center field, but that would be all that Academy of Art could push across. 

The middle of the infield would be responsible for scoring both ART U runs, as junior Adam Inouye and redshirt senior Dominic Ruggiero led off the lineup and found ways on base despite not recording a hit. Credited with the win was APU starter Steven Silvas, punching out eight batters while allowing just one hit over 7.0 innings.

GAME TWO – APU 2, ART U 0 (7)
Both teams' starters were dealing early with Academy of Art senior righty Cannon Secrist and Azusa Pacific starter Isaac Mendez limiting the chances of the other for all seven frames of the shortened second game. The Urban Knights would be the first team to put a man in scoring position in the home half of the second, as Gamboa led the action with a single into left and subsequently moved up to second on a wild pitch. He would move over to third despite a pair of outs from ART U, though he would ultimately be stranded after a flyout. 

Capitalizing on their chance in the next half inning during the top of the third was Azusa Pacific, singling three times in the frame with the last coming in a two-out scenario to ultimately put the first tally on the scoreboard. However, Secrist did a good job at limiting damage, keeping the Cougars to just one run while stranding a pair of runners on base. 

An insurance run for APU would cross the plate in the top of the sixth, using a double to put a man into scoring position before he rounded third base to score on a two-out single. Academy of Art waited until the bottom of the seventh to get the bats going, recording three consecutive hits to load the bases with no outs, chasing Mendez from the game. The move to the bullpen would prove to work out for the Cougars, as reliever Hayden Merda pitched a perfect inning in relief by striking out three straight for his second save of the year. 

Tonight's win marked the first win of the season for Mendez, ending his night with six strikeouts while allowing three hits in 6.0+ innings. Taking the tough luck loss for the Knights was Secrist, as he allowed just two earned runs on six hits while striking out eight, the fifth consecutive start that he has punched out at least eight batters. 

The top half of the lineup was responsible for all three ART U hits, as Ruggiero, Turney, and Gamboa were the trio to put ducks on the pond as the Knights looked to mount a comeback and earn their fourth walk-off win of the season. Each of Ruggiero and Turney ended 1-for-3, while a walk for Gamboa would make him 1-for-2 in game two. 

Academy of Art will look to rebound the nex time on the diamond, as the leave for their first PacWest road series of 2022 when they head to Fresno Pacific for a four-game set with the Sunbirds beginning on Mar. 18.