AZUSA, Calif. – Academy of Art hit two long balls and mounted several comebacks, but ultimately fell in their final two games against Azusa Pacific.
 
GAME ONE: ART U 3, APU 16
 
The first three innings of game one saw three lead changes starting with the Urban Knights in the first. With one out in the ballgame, redshirt junior second baseman Erick Luna worked the count to 3-2 before launching his second home run of the season over the left field wall. The Sylmar, Calif. native's two home runs are now the most on the team.
 
The Cougars tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second, but ART U took the lead once again in the third. This time, senior third baseman Tyler Strawn came through, singling to right field to drive in junior left fielder Cameron Jones.
 
APU countered the back-and-forth duel with three runs in the third, this time taking the lead for good. The Cougars would go on to score 12 runs over the next four innings, stretching their lead to double-digits.
 
The Urban Knights would retaliate in the fifth when senior center fielder Joseph Marchini hit a double into left-center field, knocking in Jones and scoring ART U's third run. However, the rally was not enough to overcome the deficit and Academy of Art fell 16-3.
 
Jones and Marchini were two of the biggest offensive contributors for the Knights. Both went 2-for-4 at the plate and Marchini collected a run batted in. Strawn put together a 1-for-4 effort and also contributed an RBI.
 
GAME TWO: ART U 3, APU 8
 
The second game of the double header was tightly contested. Things were scoreless until the second inning when APU broke through for a run in their half of the inning. The Cougars scored three more times in the third to take a 4-0 lead, but Academy of Art propelled themselves back into the ballgame with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth.
 
In the fifth inning, sophomore first baseman Michael Maleski put his name in the home run category with a solo shot to left field. The home run was his first in an ART U uniform.
 
The following inning, the Urban Knights loaded the bases with no outs to set up sacrifice flies from both Marchini and Maleski. After sending seven batters to the plate, ART U exited the sixth with just a one-run, 4-3 deficit.
 
Azusa Pacific responded in the bottom of the inning however, putting four more on the scoreboard and giving themselves an 8-3 advantage.
 
Junior right hander Cody Ball went the distance in the contest, tossing 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits and striking out two to record his first career complete game.
 
Academy of Art returns from their final road trip to play a four-game set with Holy Names to close out the season. The series will be split between the two schools with games one and four being played at Laney College.