Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 OAKLAND, Calif. – Tough weather conditions forced what was supposed to be a series-opening doubleheader between Academy of Art baseball and Sonoma State into two days, but after a total of three rain delays, it was SSU that came out on the winning end of both games by finals of 7-6 (10 innings) and 6-4 (seven innings). 

The Urban Knights (0-3) held the lead in game one when it was officially halted after they score in each of the three opening frames, but that margin would not sustain as the Seawolves (2-0) tied the game in both the eighth and ninth innings before pulling out the victory in extras. Following in the second shortened game, Sonoma State clawed their way to an early lead but watched Academy of Art nearly pull off comeback magic of their own, but ART U came up just a bit short despite a pair of homers from graduate student Landon Levine and sophomore infielder Emil Jellinek. 

Both freshman shortstop Gabe Henderson and graduate student catcher Peter Torres had a pair of games at the plate, totaling four hits apiece as Henderson went 4-for-9 (.444) with three runs scored, two doubles, an RBI and a walk while Torres was 4-for-7 (.571) with a runs scored, two RBI and two walks. 

GAME ONE – SSU 7, ART U 6 (10 INNINGS)
First pitch was tossed at 1:04 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, and the series opener saw both teams score once in the first frame with the Seawolves starting the action thanks to a double and a pair of walks that loaded the bases, eventually pushing a run across on an infield single from Christopher Wright. Despite that, ART U lefty sophomore starter Brian Kraft escaped a big inning by striking out the next batter and inducing a ground ball for the final out.

The Knights returned the favor just two batters into their first turn at the dish, as Henderson immediately put himself in scoring position with a leadoff double before he rushed home next at-bat on a single from Torres, who was thrown out trying to turn the hit into a double. Later in the inning with two outs was the first pause in the game, as a passing rain forced the contest to halt for 10 minutes before the Seawolves also prevented their own large inning by stranding a pair of Urban Knights on base. 

After Kraft kept the Seawolves to just one baserunner in the top of the second, a two-out walk that was later retired, ART U took their first lead of the game with a pair of two-out RBI. A single from junior designated hitter Ryne Lina and a walk from Jellinek helped put runners at second and third though it took two outs to get there, as the second hit of the game from Henderson was an RBI single up the middle while a wild pitch on the fourth ball to Torres brought home another run. 

Again ART U put up a two-spot as they Knights loaded the bases to start the home half of the third, with the first run scoring on a sacrifice fly from sophomore second baseman Chris Fung while Torres later earned an RBI on a two-out, bases loaded walk to push the score to 5-1. That's where the game would sit as the rain made yet another appearance, this time forcing a stoppage for the day at 3:00 p.m. with plans to resume the game on Sunday. 

Play resumed at 1:02 p.m. on Sunday, and after a relatively quick fourth frame, the Seawolves started their comeback in a big way. A hit batter and a walk put a pair of runners aboard before Academy of Art retired the next two batters, one via the punch out, but SSU's Chris Ortiz launched a three-run homer to left center that brought the score to 5-4. That result held until the top of the eighth when Sonoma State again left the yard, this time on a leadoff home run from Wright. 

A response from Academy of Art was swift, using a pair of one-out singles from Henderson and Torres to put two runners on before a wild pitch moved both into scoring position. This time it was Levine coming up clutch, as he produced the sacrifice fly that scored Henderson and one again put ART U in front 6-5. 

Though the ninth inning began with a walk for Sonoma State, the Urban Knights were able to get the Seawolves to ground into a double play, and were one out away from their first win of the season. However, a walk and a stolen base kept the inning alive for SSU, and a full-count, two-out single from Braeden Holliday was able to squeeze home the game-tying run. 

Following the ninth with the game needing extra innings, the rain made yet another appearance, forcing what was a third stoppage to the contest at 2:35 p.m. This time the two sides were able to wait it out, with play resuming nearly 30 minutes later at 3:02 p.m. Academy of Art quickly retired the opening two batters of the 10th frame, but more two-out magic for Sonoma State helped them pull back in front as a single up the middle and double down the left field line made the game 7-6 in favor of SSU. 

The Urban Knights had their chance to tie it in the bottom of the frame, as Torres led off the home half with a single before advancing to second on a balk, but three straight flyouts put the game to rest for Sonoma State. 

Appearing last in the contest for the Seawolves but ultimately earning the win was Michael Benz, who tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless relief while allowing only two hits in his first win of the season. Taking the tough loss was sophomore pitcher Dwyer Lewis, with his record dropping to 0-2. 

Both Henderson and Torres had three hits in the contest, with Henderson scoring twice and driving in one to go with a double and a walk, while Torres was responsible for two RBI and a pair of walks. Also collecting a two-hit game was sophomore outfielder Tony Diaz, who was 2-for-4 while the trio of Lina, Jellinek, and redshirt junior first baseman Liam Rizzo all had a hit and run apiece. 

GAME TWO – SSU 6, ART U 4 (7 INNINGS)
After each team went three-up, three-down in the opening frame, it was Sonoma State that got on the board first as they scored once in the top of the second as a pair of singles sandwiched a walk, the second of which came from Lucas Townsend and produced the game's first run. Just an inning later the pushed across two more runs, as a walk and a stolen base preceded a single to put runners on the corners, with the runner at third scoring on a subsequent sacrifice fly while the runner at first later scored on an RBI single into center. 

Academy of Art reached the scoreboard in the home half of the fourth, starting the frame with a double into left center from Henderson who then advanced to third  on a passed ball, ultimately scoring on an RBI groundout to first from graduate student outfielder Travis Turney. However, Sonoma State grabbed that run back in the top of the fifth on an RBI double from Holliday, scoring Sean Pauly who had reached base to begin the inning after he was hit by a pitch. 

The lead grew yet again in the top of the sixth as Townsend moved into scoring position on a leadoff single and wild pitch, crossing the plate two batters later on a double from Daniel Cabral down the left field line. Cabral would later score on a two-out RBI single from Kenny Decelle, making the game 6-1. 

In game two it was ART U's turn to hit a pair of big flies, with the first coming as a response in the bottom of the sixth. Despite an opening pair of outs, Torres kept the inning alive with a single to shortstop while Levine launched the first Academy of Art homer the following at-bat. 

Facing a three-run deficit entering the bottom of the seventh, the Urban Knights went out literally swinging as Jellinek launched a ball over the left field fence for a solo homer with one away, bringing ART U to within two. However, that is where they would stay after the Seawolves turned to Caleb Davis for the one-out save. 

Picking up the win was SSU starter Tanner Fonoti, who lasted 4.0 innings while allowing just one run on one hit, striking out three in the process. Meanwhile, sophomore righty starter Cole Shafer was credited with the loss in his first outing of the season, though he was one of five Urban Knights pitchers to appear in the contest. 

Showing why they're the top third of the lineup, the trio of Henderson, Torres and Levine all were responsible for one run and a hit, though it was highlighted by Levine's homer. Jellinek's big fly was the other ART U hit in game two, as the Knights scored four runs on four hits. 

With the third game of the series postponed until a later date, ART U will return to the diamond on Monday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. for a single non-conference game against Fresno Pacific.