LA MIRADA, Calif. -- The bats were alive in Academy of Art's split day against Biola that saw 14 runs, 16 hits, and three home runs, including a career first from senior outfielder Taj Dawson, Friday at Eagles Diamond. Senior catcher Zak May moved himself up to third on ART U's single season runs batted in list with three on the day to bring his season total to 24. Senior second baseman Elijah Smith and junior outfielder Thomas Delgadillo both extended their hit streaks to six and with two hits in each of today's games Delgadillo has had multiple hits in four straight games.

Game One: ART U 9, BU 8
Another quick start from the Urban Knights saw two runs in the first half inning. Back to back singles from Delgadillo and senior first baseman Josh Carlin put runners on for May who singled into center, scoring two and giving ART U a 2-0 lead. The Knights extended their lead in the third, starting with a May run batted in, this time on a sacrifice fly to score Carlin. Senior utility Angel Mora came to the plate next and made it 6-0 game when he launched a towering two-run shot over the left field fence for his second of the year.

After firing three scoreless frames, Mora gave up his first runs of the game in the fourth. Three came across on a double, base-hit, and error, but the Knights maintained a 6-3 lead.  ART U put the Eagles right back where they started with three runs of their own in the fifth. Mora scored Carlin on a groundout for his fourth run batted in of the game before sophomore utility Noah Daubin drove in a pair with a single to right field. Strong pitching from juniors Jayson Summers and Galen Manhard held BU to one run the remainder of the game, but not without some tenacious pitching. After the Eagles plated one to make it a 9-8 game, a wild pitch moved a BU base runner to second base with only one out, but the all-time ART U saves leader showed some grit and got the next batter to line-out before striking out the final batter on a devastating curveball on the outer half of the plate.

Jayson Summers picked up his first career win after a scoreless 1.1 innings with two strikeouts and Manhard collected his sixth save moving him up to second most in the conference. Offensively, Smith had three hits and scored three runs, May went 2-3 with three runs batted in and Mora was productive with four runs batted in and a run.  

Game Two: BU 8, ART U 5
Biola was the one who took the early lead in game two, with three runs in the first inning. ART U got on the board in the third when Dawson led the inning off with his first career home run. Delgadillo drew a walk next batter and eventually came around to score. BU had their biggest inning of the day in the fourth, scoring four runs on a single and a couple of ART U errors to take a 7-2 lead.

"It was good to finally get Dawson back in our lineup," said head coach Dan McDermott. "His presence in the outfield makes a tremendous difference as he took several hits away from the Eagles."

In the fifth inning a Delgadillo base hit scored Dawson and junior shortstop Justin Summers sailed ART U's third home run of the day, a two run shot, over the center field fence to make it a two run game. BU added an insurance run in the sixth and kept ART U scoreless in the seventh to take game two of the doubleheader.

After the split day the Urban Knights are 14-19 overall, and 6-16 in conference. ART U will conclude their series with Biola tomorrow at noon.