ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – It was a tough go at the dish for Academy of Art baseball on Friday in the series opener with Sonoma State, as SSU allowed just two runs on three hits while scoring in the top of the first with a solo home run en route to topping the Urban Knights by a 7-2 final. 

ART U (1-4) was held off the bases through the first three frames as the Seawolves (2-2) started the game with four consecutive 1-2-3 innings, which allowed their offense time to build a 2-0 lead and never look back. A solo blast started all the scoring in the bottom of the first, as Josh Medina connected on a 3-2 pitch after freshman left-hander Brian Kraft began his work with back-to-back strikeouts. Later in the fourth, a leadoff single and walk would sting the Knights, with a run scoring on an RBI single from Otis Statum after the two baserunners moved into scoring position on a balk. 

Held hitless through the first four, Academy of Art broke out in a big way in the top of the fifth with a leadoff triple from graduate student designated hitter Travis Turney, as he came around to score later in the frame on a sacrifice fly from senior first baseman Vincent Lontz. However, that would be all ART U could plate in that frame, and it wouldn't take long for the Seawolves to respond, coming in their half of the sixth with another pair of runs. 

Academy of Art scratched across a run in the top of the seventh on a wild pitch, as senior outfielder Ty Conrad scampered home after initially reaching base when he was hit by a pitch before moving to third on a Turney double. Again there was an immediate SSU answer, plating another pair of runs in the home half of the seventh before adding one final insurance run in the eighth, making the game 7-2. 

Collecting two of the three ART U hits was Turney, both of which were extra bases with the double and triple, while also recording an RBI and run scored. Posting the other hit was junior outfielder Hayato Niki who ended the game 1-for-3, while Lontz added an RBI. Taking the loss for the Knights was Kraft, who struck out a season-high seven batters despite four earned runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings pitched. 

The series concludes tomorrow with a doubleheader set for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.