Box Score #1
Box Score #2

Oakland, CA – Friday afternoon at Laney College, Academy of Art baseball put forth an impressive team effort to defeat Dixie State, the #9 team the West Region. Despite falling 13-7 in the first game, ART U responded with an inspired 6-5 win in the second contest. The Knights were led by a complete game performance from lefty starting pitcher Zach Mexicano (1-2) as the Urban Knight offense came from behind with a two-run triple by senior outfielder Ryan Worley in the fifth, propelling ART U to victory. Senior outfielder Johnathan Robbins also set a new school record with four stolen bases in the win.

“It was a heck of a ballgame,” Head Coach Brian Guinn said. “I have to tip my cap; it was a great job by Zach, Johnathan Robbins, and Ryan Worley also had a big hit so it was just a total team effort. It's just an indication of what they've learned and what they can do.”

The first game saw Dixie State assume a seven-run lead three innings in, but Academy of Art responded with offensive surges of its own shortly thereafter. In the fourth, junior infielder Zach Babitt got the Knights started with a walk and senior infielder Darnell Quinney followed by doubling him home. A sacrifice by senior outfielder Ryan Worley added one more run before ART U stormed back with a four-run fifth.

Freshman infielder Wade Broadstreet hit a double to spark four consecutive hits by Academy of Art in the inning. The final hit was a suicide squeeze play executed to perfection by Babitt who scored Broadstreet from third and reached base on the bunt. Freshman catcher James Singzon accounted for the fourth run with an RBI single.

Now a two-run ballgame with DSC ahead 8-6, the teams remained close with Broadstreet posting his second scoreless inning since entering the game in the third. The Red Storm were then able to score twice more in the seventh to go up 10-6. Responding in the bottom half of the inning, however, speed by Robbins turned a walk into a score as he stole a base and came home on a Quinney single. Dixie State was able to rally once more late and eventually won 13-7 through the nine-inning game one.


Academy of Art jumped ahead of Dixie State early in the second contest with a run in the first inning on more quickness from Robbins. After getting on with a single, Robbins continued his day's thievery with two more steals and eventually scored on a single by junior catcher Kenny Rollins, Jr. Ahead 1-0, the Knights exchanged a scoreless inning with DSC, but the Red Storm scored twice in the third to gain an advantage.

However, the Knights' bottom half of the third inning had them retake lead when junior outfielder Niko Leite led off with a double. A bunt single by Robbins put pressure on the Dixie defense and got Leite home before a sacrifice fly by Rollins, Jr. plated Robbins. Finally, Worley put ART U ahead 4-2 with an RBI single up the middle. Though the Red Storm came back with three runs in the fifth, the game would not be without late-game heroics from Academy of Art.

Down 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the stage was now set for a dramatic ending. The Knights looked to push across the tying run early when Robbins walked and Babitt bunted him to second. Runners were then on the corners after Robbins snagged third and Quinney walked. Though Quinney was picked off, he was soon replaced with Rollins, Jr. who walked after a lengthy at-bat. Worley then stepped to the plate and blasted a 1-0 pitch to centerfield which he converted into a bases-clearing triple. Academy of Art now held a 6-5 advantage and needed just two more innings to get the win.

“It was a momentum hit,” Coach Guinn said. “It came at the right time and we had been looking for some key hits and finally got one at a crucial time. It put us ahead and seemed to be the winning run.”

Mexicano wrapped up the game with a clean seventh inning and finished strong by retiring seven of the final eight batters he faced. The 7.0 innings pitched tied the lefty's career-high which he ironically set against this same Red Storm team last year (March 6, 2010). Mexicano threw 111 pitches in the game, highlighted by an eight-pitch second inning and a 10-pitch sixth.

“The rhythm is just keeping everyone on tempo,” Mexicano said. “It comes from the whole team because who doesn't want to get back in there to hit? Then you're just way more ready to go. I just try to keep my rhythm up and continue to succeed by throwing strikes. As you stick with it, you'll end up on the top if you just continue to go.”

Robbins turned in an impressive day at the plate. Over the course of both games, the senior outfielder was 3-for-6 with seven stolen bases, five runs scored, and two RBIs. His four steals in game two were a new ART U record which topped his own previous mark of three which he set six times last year.

“It's a little easier for me to focus this year,” Robbins said. “Channeling in on my ability to steal bases and run has been something good to work on with our coaches in practice. It's no more than I focus on the plate though; I'm just on the base paths. I'm taking it one step at a time to make sure I handle my responsibilities to better our team.”

Contributing at the plate along with Robbins, Worley finished the day 2-for-5 with a triple and four RBIs. In the first game, Quinney was 2-for-4 with two RBIs along with strong offense at the top of the lineup. Going 1-for-4 in that opening contest, Babitt was particularly productive with two runs scored, one RBI, and one stolen base. Rollins, Jr. had a strong second contest, going 1-for-1 with two RBIs and one run scored.

Mexicano earns his first career victory with zero earned runs allowed on five hits over a complete 7.0 innings pitched. He added a new career-high six strikeouts which ranks fourth historically among all ART U pitchers. The split moves ART U to 1-7, 1-1 in PacWest play.

“To get the win was great,” Mexicano said. “It's something that you strive for, something that you want, and something that you're determined to do as the starting pitcher. Putting up zeros every inning after you score and before you score, you just have to stick with it and be a part of the game the whole time. As a pitcher, you're not hitting so you can stay focused and stay warm and just continue to throw strikes. It was cold today so it was tough, but we kept our heads up and kept going through everything. We all made it possible. It took our whole team not just one person.”

Leading the way for DSC offensively was infielder Tyson Littlewood who had a home run along with four RBIs. Outfielder Sam Friend added four RBIs on a 2-for-8 day. In the first contest, James Mahler (2-1) earned the victory with six runs allowed on six hits over 5.0 innings of work. The game two loss was dealt to Jordon Blanchard (1-2) who allowed one earned run in 0.2 relief innings. Dixie State is now 4-5 overall this season, 1-1 in the PacWest.

The Knights first PacWest Conference series of 2011 continues tomorrow. ART U and Dixie State meet for a 10:00 AM doubleheader at Laney College.