FRESNO, Calif. – The offense from Fresno Pacific was too much for Academy of Art baseball on Saturday, as ART U was topped 11-3 in game one before dropping the shortened second game 7-1. While the Pacific West Conference doubleheader loss snapped a four-game winning streak, ART U still earned a series split after winning the opening two games of the series. 

The Urban Knights (8-4, 8-4 PacWest) were looking for their third consecutive series win, but the hot bats of the Sunbirds (9-11, 5-7 PacWest) would deny that quest by using offense late in game one to clinch the win, then posting hits early and often in game two to force the split. Leading the way at the plate on the day for ART U was redshirt junior shortstop Dominic Ruggiero, posting two multi-hit games to go 4-for-7 with his first home run of the season and a pair of doubles. 

GAME ONE – FPU 11, ART U 3
Fresno Pacific's scoring started in the bottom of the first, getting two runners on via a walk and bringing one home on a sacrifice fly. It took until the fourth inning for ART U to respond, as junior outfielder Ty Conrad doubled into left center to put himself into scoring position. After a groundout moved Conrad over to third, he would subsequently score on a throwing error to knot the game. 

An RBI single from FPU's Angel Flores would quickly break the tie, as the Sunbirds would ultimately take advantage of a one-out walk and a wild pitch that moved a man into scoring position. Two more runs would cross the plate for Fresno Pacific in the home half of the fifth, the first scoring after a Jared Aguilar was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. During the following at-bat, a wild pitch would allow the second run to score before the Knights were able to get out of the inning. 

A run in the top of both the sixth and seventh inning for the Urban Knights would cut the deficit to just one, with the first run getting on the board in an exciting manner. After a flyout to begin the inning, Ruggiero took a 1-0 pitch and pulled it down the right field line for his first home run in his time at ART U. The following frame, three consecutive two-out hits would be capped off by an RBI single through the right side from sophomore outfielder Hayato Niki, as the game sat at 4-3. Again, the slim margin wouldn't last long, as Fresno Pacific would score four times in the bottom of the seventh before tacking on three more in the eighth en route to closing out the victory. 

Ruggeiro's 2-for-4 effort with a home run and a double would lead the Knights, while graduate student catcher Ryan Gamboa would also notch a pair of hits by going 2-for-3 with an RBI. The loss would be tagged to junior right-hander Noah Daubin, allowing four runs on four hits over 4.2 innings pitched. 

GAME TWO – FPU 7, ART U 1 (7 INNINGS)
For the second game in a row, Fresno Pacific would score in the first inning, this time plating three runs in the home half of the opening frame. The first would cross on an RBI single, while the latter two runs would score on a fielder's choice aided by a throwing error. A sacrifice fly would add onto the lead in the bottom of the second, making the game 4-0. 

ART U would score their only run of game two in the top of the third, as a Ruggiero would come to the plate with a man aboard and line a double to left field, putting two in scoring position. The following at-bat, Conrad would come through for the Knights, earning a sacrifice fly and scoring Niki to avoid the shutout. FPU would add three insurance runs, all of which came in the fourth inning with two outs thanks to four consecutive hits. 

It was the eighth multi-hit game of the season for Ruggiero, who is currently on a nine-game hitting streak, both of which are tops on the Urban Knights. Ruggiero and junior catcher Austin LaBarber would each end the game 2-for-3, with the former adding a double to the stat sheet. The loss would be handed to junior starter Collin Carriger, allowing five earned runs on five hits over 3.2 innings pitched. 

The next chance out on the diamond for ART U will come on Friday, Apr. 2 against Holy Names.