Atherton, CA --- In a neutral site doubleheader, the Academy of Art University baseball team triumphed over Division III St. Joseph's College (NY) with a pair of 10-6 victories. The Urban Knights went up early in game one and staved off the Bears' comeback then came from behind themselves to capture game two. Sophomore centerfielder Johnathan Robbins finished Saturday 4-for-7 with five RBIs, two runs scored, and two stolen bases while freshman first baseman Andy Caniezo crushed his first home run of the season in game two in addition to going 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

“It's good to pick up these wins after some tough losses,” Head Coach Brian Guinn said. “These kinds of victories help build character and self-esteem because the kids believe in themselves, knowing they can win ballgames.”

AAU kicked off game one in strong fashion with a four-run first inning. Junior second baseman Ryan Worley led off with a double and sped around the bases to score on a bunt single by Robbins. Senior right fielder Mike Gutierrez would bring Robbins home on an RBI single and sophomore third baseman Kenny Rollins, Jr. took advantage of two errors to score the final run. The Knights then added to their lead with single runs in the next two innings by way of RBI hits from Robbins and sophomore catcher Brandon Kistler.

Now up 6-0, Academy of Art sustained scoring rallies by St. Joseph's in the third and fourth before AAU built on its advantage with three more in the fifth. Sophomore left fielder Alex Rosenthal had one of his two doubles in the contest to lead off the inning. After Rosenthal later scored on a throwing error, more speed from Worley and Robbins at the top of the Knights' order led to the next two runs. Worley reached on a fielder's choice and stole second while Robbins legged out a two-run double.

The Urban Knights weathered one final rally by the Bears and held on for the 10-6 victory. Sophomore right-handed reliever Kallen Fletcher (1-0) picked up the win with 2.0 innings on the mound. He allowed three unearned runs on three hits with one strikeout. Junior righty Darnell Quinney came on to notch his second save of the season with 1.1 innings of shutout baseball.

The second contest, in which Academy of Art served as the home team, saw SJC take a 3-0 lead in the first two innings. A head's up bunt single by Gutierrez then sparked a surge by the Knights in the second frame. A designated hitter in the contest, Fletcher followed by hitting AAU's sixth triple of the season to center, scoring Gutierrez. Caniezo would pick up his teammate with a RBI double and Academy of Art now trailed only 3-2.

Gutierrez was later responsible for the Knights' game-tying run in the third when he singled home Rollins, Jr. who had become a threat after a walk. Both teams got offensive in the fourth as the Bears rallied for three runs and AAU responded with three of their own in the bottom half. The tie held up until the sixth when Caniezo hit a 360-foot home run to left center on the first pitch he saw as the leadoff batter. In that very same inning, Rollins, Jr. would connect on his second homer of the season, launching a 340-foot bomb off a tree beyond the left field fence. A 1-2-3 seventh by right-handed starter Jeff Smith (1-3) wrapped up the game and Academy of Art had its second 10-6 victory of the day.

Smith became the second pitcher to throw a complete game this season (fifth in program history) with his 7.0 inning performance. It was the most innings he had gone this season and he earned the victory after allowed six runs (three earned) on nine hits. Smith was extremely efficient throughout the game as evidenced by the three innings where he did not need more than nine pitches to retire the side. He finished with 91 pitches in the start.

“Smitty, or 'Catfish' as we call him, has been throwing the ball well of late,” Coach Guinn said. “He went out there today and was throwing strikes and getting the ground balls he needed. After the fifth inning, I asked him if he felt like he could go out there for the complete game and he said, 'I want it, Coach.' He did a great job and let the defense help him too.”

A variety of Knights contributed to the strong offensive showing in the doubleheader. The top of the lineup was especially solid as Robbins and Worley combined for a 9-for-16 day with six RBIs, five runs scored, and four stolen bases. Worley was 3-for-5 while Robbins set a new season-high with three RBIs in that contest.

“The guys are starting to have good at-bats,” Coach Guinn said. “We've been teaching them and from the cages to the tee to the game, they're gaining a better understanding of what it means to have a good at-bat.”

Rollins, Jr. and Caniezo both continued to swing hot bats on Saturday. In game two, Caniezo smashed the first home run of his Academy of Art career to complete a 3-for-3 start while Rollins, Jr. blasted his second homer as an Urban Knight later in that inning. The two shots came as part of AAU's four-run sixth to regain the lead.

“We've been waiting for Andy to hit the long one for a while and he finally got hold of one today,” Coach Guinn said. “Andy has definitely got some power and generally first base has the power numbers so it was good to see him drive one.”

Rounding out Academy of Art's balanced attack, Gutierrez had two hits in each game to finish 4-for-8 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Rosenthal and Kistler combined for a 4-for-8 game one with two RBIs. In the second contest, Fletcher and freshman catcher Chris Holmes got in on the action with two hits, three runs scored, and one RBI between them. AAU has now scored 10 or more runs in its last four trips to Menlo College's Cartan Field.

St. Joseph's College was led by right fielder/pitcher Keith Juricich who completed the day 3-for-7 with a home run, two runs scored, two stolen bases, and one RBI. Juricich (1-1) was also the starting pitcher for the Bears in game one and sustained the loss after allowing nine runs (seven earned) over 5.0 innings of work with two strikeouts. Hurler Chris Davidson (1-2) started game two and went 5.2 innings with 10 runs allowed (eight earned) and five strikeouts.

“Getting these wins means we can go back into conference play on a positive note,” Coach Guinn said. “The kids have accomplished something and this will give them momentum coming back.”

The Urban Knights return to PacWest Conference play Friday, Apr. 9 when they host Grand Canyon University for a four-game series. AAU and GCU will begin with a doubleheader on Apr. 9 and wrap up with two more contests on Apr. 10. All games are scheduled to be played at Louis Guisto Baseball Field on the campus of St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA.