OAKLAND, Calif. – It was a marathon game for the Academy of Art baseball team on Friday, battling back-and-forth with Saint Martin's for four hours but ultimately taking the loss in 11 innings, 8-7. 
 
Neither team could get much going against stingy starting pitching in the early parts of the scoreless game, as junior starting pitcher Cannon Secrist recorded six strikeouts for the Urban Knights (3-6) through the first three frames. He would go on to finish with 13 strikeouts in the game, tied for the most in ART U program history, accomplished three times but most recently by Luke Lacy on Feb. 22, 2018 against Fresno Pacific.
 
It wasn't until the fourth inning when either team would get on the scoreboard. A walk and two straight hits, capped off by a Jake Leonard double into right center on a full count, would plate the game's first run for the Saints (3-5). Secrist would strand the runner at second, going on to strike out the side in the next three batters. 
 
One inning is all it would take for the Urban Knights to respond, as they would score in identical fashion with a walk and a pair of hits. Sophomore catcher Ryan Gamboa continued his hitting streak to six games, a team high, by pushing a single through the right side to score junior outfielder Dominic Chavarria. 
 
The sixth inning started with a bang, as leadoff hitter Ryne Oshiro blasted a home run into right field on a 2-0 pitch to retake the lead. It wouldn't last long, as ART U would put up three runs in the home half of the seventh. The first run scored on an RBI groundout from Thomas Delgadillo after a walk and hit by pitch started the inning, and junior first baseman Vincent Lontz followed that up with a single into left field to drive home the second run of the frame. A passed ball would move Lontz to second and a Gamboa single would put Lontz on third, when junior outfielder Ty Conrad capitalized with a sacrifice fly into left field for the 4-2 lead. 
 
Three straight hits would start the eighth for the Saints, including RBI doubles from Oshiro and Aaron Renaud that would score a run each. After a fielder's choice and a walk, as well as a passed ball, Scott Gunther would get the third RBI double of the frame by bringing home two on a hit into right center field to retake the lead.
 
In what was scheduled to be the Urban Knights final chance in the ninth inning, they would immediately load the bases with three consecutive walks. A strikeout would keep the bases loaded before Conrad was hit with a pitch to bring home a run, followed by the tying run scoring on an RBI groundout by senior designated hitter Jayson Summers to send the game into extra innings.
 
Neither team would score in the 10th, and the 11th would once again get off to a fast start for Saint Martin's, as the second batter of the inning Micah MicNicoll sent a 2-1 pitcher over the right field fence. Later in the inning, an insurance run would cross the plate on a wild pitch. 
 
ART U would not give up yet, as the Urban Knights pushed across a run on a sacrifice fly by Summers with two outs. A walk would load the bases for junior pitch hitter Austin LaBarber, but he would go down on three pitches to end the game. 

Delgadillo and Gamboa would each finish with two base knocks, while five different Urban Knights would drive home RBIs. led by Conrad and Summers with two apiece. Leading the way for the Saints was Aaron Renaud, as he was 4-for-5 with an RBI and three doubles. Oshiro and Gunther would also register two hits each. 
 
Despite blowing the save, Drew Rose would take the win for the Saints, moving his record to 1-0. Senior pitcher Matthew Sanchez would take the loss, falling to 0-1 by allowing two earned runs on two hits in 2.2. innings pitched. 
 
The Urban Knights will look to rebound when both teams return to the diamond for a doubleheader on Saturday, with the beginning of the twin bill beginning at noon from Laney College.