FRESNO, Calif. – The Academy of Art baseball team scrapped together three hits, but it wasn't enough to take down Fresno Pacific on the road, dropping the game 3-0.   
 
"The whole weekend was pretty good, high level baseball," said ART U head coach Dan McDermott. "Sometimes at that point the difference between winning and losing is the execution of one play or pitch. We were unable to come through with those moments this weekend while our opponents did."
 
It was a pitchers' duel in the series finale for the Urban Knights (4-12), as each starter allowed just one hit and combined for 13 strikeouts through the first six innings. Neither team scored until the seventh when the Sunbirds (11-7) finally got to ART U senior Matthew Sanchez for three runs, which would be the only runs of the game. Sanchez would go on to finish with eight strikeouts in the quality start, allowing just five hits over 6.2 innings.
 
FPU starter Garrett Cooper would exit the game after six and give way to Brady Crow, who would toss two innings of two-hit ball to earn the win. In the ninth, Michael Barker took the mound and notched his third save of the season with a clean inning and one strikeout.
 
Sanchez allowed only two on base through the first five and then would strand three in the following inning, but couldn't get out of trouble in the seventh. Two hits would open the inning, and after a strikeout, a walk would load the bases. Sanchez would get a line out to third for the second out of the frame, but would then allow a single to Nick Dodd to bring home one run. Senior Galen Manhard then entered for Sanchez and subsequently gave up a single to Brian Hefner that would score two, with both runs charged to Sanchez, before he could get out of the inning.
 
ART U would get a runner on in the eighth but couldn't push him around to score before going down in order in the ninth against Barker. Manhard and junior Morgan Edwards would each pitch two-thirds of an inning, with Morgan not allowing a hit and striking out one.
 
"We had a lot of really good at-bats, but were not able to put them together in order to produce runs," McDermott said. "We are excited to get back to work on Monday at practice to prepare for our conference opener in nine days."
 
That conference action will take place against Hawai'i Pacific beginning on March 10 with a doubleheader beginning at noon.