GAME #21 & #22
Academy of Art (5-15) at Sonoma State (12-12 PacWest)
Wednesday, March 17, 2015 – 2 p.m. PDT
Rohnert Park, Calif. – Seawolf Diamond
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

GAME #23 & #24
Point Loma (16-7, 4-4 PacWest) at Academy of Art (5-15, 3-5 PacWest)
Friday, March 20, 2015 – 4 p.m. & 7 p.m. PDT
Oakland, Calif. – Laney College
LIVE STATS
 
GAME #25 & #26
Point Loma (16-7, 4-4 PacWest) at Academy of Art (5-15, 3-5 PacWest)
Saturday, March 21, 2015 – 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. PDT
Oakland, Calif. – Laney College
LIVE STATS
 
SAN FRANCISCO — Non-conference play ends while Pacific West Conference play continues on in a busy week this week for the Academy of Art University baseball team, with a Tuesday matinee at Sonoma State preceding a four-game home series versus Point Loma.
 
The Urban Knights (5-15, 3-5 PacWest) split a four-game PacWest series last week versus California Baptist, winning two of the first three games with solid starting pitching. The Urban Knights are 2-10 in non-conference play this season and 1-5 on the road. The weekend's four-game series versus PLNU will be the culmination of an originally-scheduled 20-game home stand before games were cancelled and the Sonoma State series was rescheduled.
 
ABOUT SONOMA STATE
The Seawolves (12-12, 7-9 California Collegiate Athletic Association) have evened their overall season record and are nearly even in the deep CCAA after a split last weekend versus then-No. 8 Cal Poly Pomona. SSU swept a doubleheader from Academy of Art on March 4, 9-2 and 2-1.
 
The Seawolves have six players batting better than .285, though they are being outhit by opponents this season .270-.254. Pitching has been key for Sonoma State, with five players who have made at least five appearances carrying ERAs south of 3.00. Bobby Raymos has been their most successful starter with a 3-1 record and 2.67 ERA in five starts.
 
ABOUT POINT LOMA
The Sea Lions (16-7, 4-4 PacWest) took three of four on the road last week from PacWest opponent Holy Names to even their conference record at 4-4. It's been an up-and-down season so far for PLNU who won 10 of 12 to begin the year before losing five of eight, then winning three straight against HNU coming into this week.
 
Six different players carry averages above .290 for PLNU, but like Sonoma State they are being outhit by nearly 20 points, .291-.272. The Sea Lions are the third-best fielding team in the PacWest, but what errors they have committed have come at the most inopportune time. PLNU has allowed 18 unearned runs and those, combined with their 4.13 staff ERA, have contributed to some of their struggles. Four players have made all 23 starts on the mound for PLNU. Kellen Sheppard has been the most effective at 2-0 with a 3.46 ERA and better-than 3-to-1 strikeouts to walks ratio at 31:9.
 
BEING COMPLETE
Senior starting pitcher Nate Gercken threw the second nine-inning complete game shutout in ART U history Thursday, leading the Urban Knights to a 4-0 series-opening win over California Baptist. Gercken began the night by retiring his first six batters and facing the minimum through the first four innings. He would go the full nine innings with only one California Baptist runner advancing to third, and that was on a fielding error in the eighth inning. Gercken scattered four hits and forced 11 groundouts and five flyouts with his defense behind him while striking out eight.
 
BRINGING 'EM HOME
If the Urban Knights get a runner to third base with less than two outs, its more than likely he's going to score. In 18 chances with a runner at third and zero or one outs this season, the Urban Knights have gotten a hit 12 times, a 66.7 percent success rate. Junior third baseman Brett Adami has been the most successful, batting .750 (3-for-4) in those situations.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Urban Knights travel to St. George, Utah, to take on PacWest leader Dixie State in their first conference series on the road March 27 and 28.