GAME #45-49
Academy of Art (11-33, 6-22 PacWest) vs. Point Loma (21-24, 12-16 PacWest)
Friday, May 2, 2014 at 12:00 PM (Game 1)
Saturday, May 3, 2014 at 12:00 PM (Game 1)
San Diego, CA -- Carrol B. Land Stadium
Live Stats | Live Video

LEADING OFF
Facing one of the top teams in the conference, the Academy of Art University baseball team was frustrated on the offensive end, scoring four runs in four days against California Baptist last weekend. ART U continued to hit, but couldn't cash in with runners on base, as they dropped four in three days to the Lancers in their penultimate series of the season. 
 
SEA LIONS SLIDING TO FINISH
After posting a solid non-conference record of 9-8, Point Loma Nazarene University had a good chance at finishing in the top half of the standings only a couple weeks ago, when they held on to a 19-16 record. Since then, however, they have fallen upon hard times, dropping eight of their last ten and picking up lone wins in their four-game series against  Fresno Pacific, California Baptist, and Dixie State. PLNU boasts a pair of hitters who rank one after another in the top ten in average, as third-baseman Tyler Nordgren (8th, .352) and shortstop Clinton Harwick (9th, .351) are tearing it up on the left side of the diamong. Freshman Kellen Sheppard (4-4) has carried the load for the Sea Lions, pitching 79.0 innings and posting an ERA of 2.85, while Kevin Lillicrop (1-4) has started nine games but also recorded a pair of saves. The Knights and Sea Lions split the series in April of last season, with ART U winning in a complete game effort from Nate Gercken on the first day and getting six strong from Nick Boyett in the second day opener. 
 
CAVESTANY CATCHING FIRE
Throughout the year, newcomer Chucky Cavestany has raked his way into the record books at the plate, ranking second the team with 39 hits on the season, and posting the second-best single season in ART U history with a .331 average heading into the final series. Hitting safely in his last six games, and eight of his last nine, Cavestany has also added eight doubles and a homer, also giving him a top-five single season slugging percentage (.424). He currently sits only two at-bats away from qualifying for the career marks on the Academy of Art leaderboards, and if he keeps his current pace would be in line to take a top career batting average mark along with slugging and on-base percentage. On the defensive end, he and Kevin Decker have nurtured a healthy relationship with the Knights' pitchers, who have posted their lowest ERA in the six years of ART U baseball, coming under last year's total by almost half a run.