FRESNO, Calif. – The Academy of Art baseball team ran up against stellar starting pitching from Fresno Pacific on Friday, as it led the Sunbirds (10-7) to a doubleheader sweep over the Urban Knights (4-11) by scores of 7-0 and 5-1 (7 innings).
 
Offense has been tough to come by in the series, as ART U was kept off the board in game one and despite scoring in the first inning in game two, would finish with just one run. Junior outfielder Noah Daubin collected hits in both games for ART U, going a combined 2-for-6 for the day.
 
GAME 1 – FPU 7, ART U 0
Sunbirds' starting pitcher Justin Fuson turned in a sterling performance, allowing just one hit over eight innings with no runs and six strikeouts. Daubin's single in the first inning would be the only baserunner that ART U would get against Fuson, with Fuson facing only one batter above the minimum.
 
It took until the fourth frame before FPU got on the board, scoring in four consecutive innings beginning with a single Andrue Lackey before a throwing error would bring a runner across the plate. A solo home run would be the second run of the game, while an RBI double from Garrett Cooper and an error after a Nick Dodd single plated two runs and pushed the lead to 4-0.
 
Two more insurance runs would score in the seventh, coming on a pair of RBI singles from Brian Hefner and Trent Greene. It was the fourth win of the season for Fuson, a team-high. ART U junior starter Collin Carriger would be tagged with the loss after going six innings and allowing five runs, three earned, on six hits with two strikeouts.
 
GAME 2 – FPU 5, ART U 1 (7 innings)
For the first time in the series the Urban Knights got on the scoreboard first, scoring a run after the first two batters thanks to an error and a sacrifice fly from junior outfielder Ty Conrad. The lead would only last until the bottom of the second, when Bodie Begely launched a two-run homer over the right center field wall to take the lead 2-1.
 
Another pair of runs would score in the fourth inning on a pair of RBI singles from Cooper and Vegely, and the final run of the game scored on a bases loaded walk to Hefner. The insurance runs would end up not being needed, as it was another strong performance on the hill for the Sunbirds, this time by Matt Stearns. He would go the distance in the shortened second game of the twin bill while allowing one unearned run on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
 
Taking the loss for the Urban Knights was junior starter Ryan Skillman, allowing five runs on nine hits over 3.1 innings with two strikeouts. Senior Galen Manhard tossed a scoreless 2.2 innings while allowing two hits and striking out four. Of the five Urban Knights base knocks in game two, two belonged to junior first baseman Vinent Lontz, as he was 2-for-3 with a double. 
 
ART U will look to avoid the series sweep in finale tomorrow afternoon, as first pitch with FPU is set for noon on Saturday.