Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 OAKLAND, Calif. – Despite Academy of Art baseball scoring early in both games of a Pacific West Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday, it was Biola that would score more often as BU swept a doubleheader with finals of 11-4 and 13-1 (seven innings) to capture a series win over ART U. 

Scoring in the first inning of both contests were the Urban Knights (6-13, 2-6 PacWest), but they could not keep up the pace as they totaled just five runs coming on eight hits for the day. In addition to the ART U depth being relied upon, the bats of the Eagles (8-8, 5-3 PacWest) proved too much for Academy of Art, scoring double-digit runs in each of the final three games of the series after the Knights captured game one. 

Being called upon in a super utility role was senior Ryan Skillman, who filled in all over the diamond while logging the first at-bats of his ART U career, resulting in a pair of hits including a double. Freshman infielder Emil Jellinek provided some power from the dish, slugging a two-run blast, his only hit of the day which came in game one's bottom of the second inning. 

GAME ONE – BU 11, ART U 4
It was the Knights who were on the board first, manufacturing a run in the home half of the first despite not tallying a hit. Redshirt senior middle infielder Dominic Ruggiero would reach on a walk, subsequently steal second and third bases, all before scoring on an error during his second steal attempt. Not waiting long to respond, BU started the away half of the second with a pair of walks that would move up 90 feet on a balk, with one scoring on an RBI groundout while Tyler White would collect an RBI when he drove home the second run with a single up the middle. 

Coming back with their own answer was the Knights but more specifically Jellinek, as he unleashed on a 2-2 pitch down the left field line and over the fence for his second homer of the year, which is second-most on ART U. Despite the blast, Biola would score twice in each of the third and fourth innings, the first two coming on an inside-the-park home run in the third after a missed diving play in the outfield, while the other two would score on a double in the fourth.

ART U would score just once more in the sixth after Skillman, who entered the game as a pinch runner for Academy of Art redshirt sophomore outfielder Liam Rizzo, who was moved up on small ball with a sacrifice bunt and a groundout to the right side, finally coming across the plate on an RBI single down the right field line from graduate student catcher Ryan Gamboa. 

That would be as close as the Knights would come, as the Eagles would score once in their half of the eighth before adding on four more insurance runs in the top of the ninth, ultimately cruising to the victory. 

Collecting the win was BU reliever Andrew Zittel after starter Keith Walker tossed just 4.0 innings, as Zittel logged two innings of two-hit ball while allowing two runs, only one of which was earned. The loss would go to ART U right-handed freshman Cole Shafer, his first of the year in the young season. 

GAME TWO – BU 13, ART U 1 (7)
Each team would score once in the opening frame, starting with the Eagles using a two-out rally that began with a double from Oscar Serratos and culminated in an RBI single from Bobby Brown after Serratos had stolen third. After Urban Knights junior outfielder Charles Morgan led off the inning with a double, his fourth of the campaign, Morgan would score on an RBI groundout from graduate student outfielder Travis Turney after he had moved to third on a sacrifice fly. 

From that point on it would be all Biola, who scored three times in the second and once in the third before unleashing an eight-run fifth inning, with the eighth featuring five hits that included three doubles. ART U would have no response, as the Eagles' pitchers would allow just three hits, two of which came from the bat of Skillman, the first double of his Urban Knights career. 

Earning the decision was Brayden Englert, allowing one earned run on two hits in 5.0 innings pitched for his fist victory of the season. Handed the loss was ART U freshman lefty Brian Kraft, his fourth of 2022. In addition to starting the game at second base, Skillman would also pitch a scoreless inning of relief in the ninth .

Academy of Art will return to the diamond looking to rebound their next time out on Friday, Mar. 11 as the Knights host the Azusa Pacific Cougars for a four-game PacWest baseball series beginning at 1 p.m. from College of Alameda on Mar. 11.