OAKLAND, Calif. –The Academy of Art baseball team was under pressure throughout their game on Sunday, with Saint Martin's taking the series finale by a final of 7-1.
The Saints (5-3) scored the first five runs of the game, starting with a sacrifice fly from Ryne Oshiro in the first and a two-run homer to left for Cody Chavis. Another would cross the plate in the top of the fifth after a failed pickoff attempt by senior starting pitcher
Matthew Sanchez, immediately followed by an RBI single on a 1-1 pitch from Isaac Hegamin.
In the bottom of the frame, senior third baseman
Thomas Delgadillo and junior first baseman
Vincent Lontz ripped a single and double, respectively, getting in scoring position with only one out. Sophomore catcher
Ryan Gamboa would capitalize and pick up his team-leading 13th RBI of the season on a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Delgadillo. With the single, Delgadillo continued his reached base streak, extending it to 30 games dating back to last season (18 games in 2019).
That would be all the offense that ART U could provide, as they would watch SMU score once more in the seventh on a double steal and once in the ninth on a fielder's choice to second base. Three Saints pitchers combined to allow just the one run, with the win credited to Justice Yamashita. His line of one run on four hits over five innings would lead him to his first victory of the season. Sanchez would take the loss for ART U, allowing five runs, only three earned, on six hits in five innings.
It was a three-hit day for senior
Fabian Barcena, as he ended his day 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base. Junior outfielder
Ty Conrad also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-4.
For the Saints, Chavis finished with three hits while Hegamin and Elijah Santiago had two hits apiece. Hegamin would score three of the seven runs for SMU, while Chavis had two RBI on the big fly.
Next Friday will be Pacific West Conference play for the Urban Knights, as they hit the road for the first time this year when they travel to Fresno to face off against the Sunbirds.