Pomona, Calif. (4/18/09) -- At the Broncos' Scolinos Field on Saturday afternoon, Academy of Art University baseball dropped a pair of seven-inning decisions to Cal Poly Pomona. The first game was a 10-3 result in which both teams stayed close until CPP put up six runs in the sixth inning while game two saw the Urban Knights lead for five innings before another six-run sixth turned the tide. Senior catcher Florentino Ubungen was 5-for-8 on the day (including a 4-for-4 performance in game two) with a RBI and two runs scored.

Box Score #1

Essentially a pitcher's duel between junior right-hander Matthew Ko (0-7) and righty Geoff Broussard (3-1) through the first three innings, game one did begin with a sacrifice fly by the Broncos to score a run in the first.  After that first time on the mound, Ko allowed just one hit in the next two innings and neither team would get runs across.

In the fourth, Cal Poly Pomona loaded the bases with no outs and consequently put three more runs on the board with a three-RBI single by Jordan Alcantar. Ko would retire the next three consecutive batters, but his squad was now down 4-0.

A walk and four hits into the sixth inning, the Broncos knocked Ko out of the game and junior right-handed pitcher Danny Couser took over the pitching duties. He struggled to close out CPP in the inning after allowing two runs (one earned) in the final 0.2 innings. Ko would finish his day surrendering eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits with five walks and two strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

The Academy of Art University seventh was another late-game push to comeback with three straight singles to lead things off. Sophomore centerfielder Darnell Quinney came to the plate with the bases loaded and grounded to third which resulted in a putout at third, but scored sophomore third baseman Chris Vargas. With three men on yet again following a walk to freshman left fielder Alex Rosenthal, back-to-back RBI singles came from freshmen right fielder Brandon Kistler and shortstop Ryan Worley.

Unfortunately for the Knights, the rally was stopped at three runs after a strikeout and groundout concluded the game 10-3.

Box Score #2

AAU responded to the loss in the first game by getting on the scoreboard early on in the first inning of game two. Vargas had a one-out single and then came home on Ubungen's double up the middle. After another single by junior first baseman Mike Gutierrez, Ubungen would score on a ground ball out by Quinney. 

Although the Urban Knights did not score in the second, they did get consecutive singles by Kistler and sophomore designated hitter Van Hanson. However, the runners were stranded after a strikeout and groundout concluded the inning.

Ubungen continued to stay hot in the third when he singled and later scored on a RBI single by Rosenthal. The Broncos proceeded to change their starting pitcher at this point and got the final out of the inning.

Cal Poly Pomona ended its stretch of two scoreless innings with a sacrifice fly and one run in the third, but Academy of Art University kept the pressure on with another rally in the fourth. Freshman second baseman Martin Layton-Santos hit a one-out double to center and Vargas brought him home on a single. Ubungen singled yet again and Gutierrez had his first RBI of the series on a sacrifice fly of his own.

The score was now 5-1 in favor of the Knights and in the fifth, Pomona quickly scored its second run on a walk, stolen base, and a single. With AAU closing in on its first win of the season, CPP got six runs in the sixth with some key hits and an error by the defense.

Freshman righty Edgar Zelaya (0-2), who was in line for the win after five innings, was replaced by Quinney (0-7) who got one out, but gave up three runs and Couser would come on to get the final two outs. Zelaya allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits with three walks and a strikeout.

In addition to Ubungen's impressive day at the plate, Vargas was 4-for-7 with a RBI and three runs scored while Gutierrez was 3-for-6 a RBI and a run scored. Kistler finished the day 3-for-7 with one RBI and Quinney was 2-for-7 with two RBIs and one run scored.

On the Broncos' side, Erik Riedel was the most consistent after combining to go 4-for-6 in the two games with three RBIs and two runs scored. It was Broussard who was victorious on the mound in the first game after giving up no runs and four hits with four strikeouts while reliever Brandon Mozley (3-0) picked up the win in game two.

Overall, Academy of Art University is now 0-28 on the season and Cal Poly Pomona is 23-17 overall.

Instead of playing the originally scheduled doubleheader on Sunday, the teams will play a single game which is now set to begin at 10:00 AM.