PacWest Release

Phoenix, AZ – Junior left-handed pitcher Zach Mexicano (1-2) and junior outfielder Niko Leite have both earned their first career selections to the Pacific West Conference Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll. The winning pitcher in ART U's 6-5 victory over #9 Dixie State this past week, Mexicano pitched a complete game and registered a career-high six strikeouts while Leite posted a .375 batting average in three starts. The honors were announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, Feb. 28 for games contested on Feb. 21-27.

Up against a strong offense in Dixie State, the #9 team in the West Region coming into the series, Mexicano pitched a gem. He powered through a complete game on the mound in the second contest of a Feb. 25 doubleheader, while allowing no earned runs on six hits with a new career-high of six strikeouts. 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 finished smoothly by retiring seven of the final eight batters he faced. Of his 111 pitches in the game, Mexicano threw 72 for strikes with highlights being an eight-pitch second inning and a 10-pitch sixth. In the end, the junior not only won his first game as an Urban Knight, but Mexicano also helped Academy of Art to its first victory in 2011.

“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.”

Consistently on base in the series with the Red Storm, Leite completed the week by going 3-for-8 with three runs scored, a double, and two walks. He posted a .500 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging rate as well.

Leite was involved in the Knights' four-run rally in game one on Friday, Feb. 25. After singling as one of four consecutive ART U hits in the fifth inning, Leite later scored on a suicide squeeze play with teammate Zach Babitt bunting him home. The junior outfielder then had a hand in the Academy of Art victory that followed. Leite initiated the Urban Knights' three-run fourth with a leadoff double and was plated on the very next play when Johnathan Robbins singled. The score proved to be incredibly significant as ART U would later win by one run.

These PacWest Weekly Top 10 honors are the first for both Urban Knights in their respective careers.